SOFIA FORCAST Images of the Bipolar Planetary Nebula M2-9
Abstract
As part of a SOFIA Basic Science program to study compact planetary nebulae, we have obtained images of the bipolar nebula M2-9, using the FORCAST bands at 6.6, 11.1, 19.7, 24.2, 33.6, and 37.1um. All images show a very bright point like central condensation associated with the exciting star of the nebula and the surrounding circumstellar dust. At the four longest wavelengths, the two bipolar lobes are seen in the images, extending some 20 arcsec from the central star. The integrated signal from each of the lobes may be visible at the two shorter wavelengths as well. The intensity and spectrum of the infrared radiation from the lobes is consistent with thermal emission from grains entrained in the bipolar outflow, and seen at visible wavelengths in scattered starlight. We compare the structure of the lobes as seen from SOFIA with that seen in Hubble images and report the results of attempting to fit the lobe profiles with emission from an outflow cavity with limb-brightened edges.
Jessica Davis was the Charles and Valerie Elachi SURF Fellow at JPL during the summer of 2011. We appreciate the support of Jim DeBuizer and others at the Sofia Science Center. Portions of this research were carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.- Publication:
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American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #219
- Pub Date:
- January 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AAS...21911607W