Amateur PN discoveries and their spectral confirmation: A significant new addition to the Galactic PN inventory
Abstract
We present the key results from an intensive and coordinated ten-year amateur observational programme designed to uncover and confirm Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe). This was undertaken and led by a dedicated group of largely French amateur astronomers in collaboration with professional colleagues. Over this period this group has uncovered a total of 209 spectroscopically confirmed True, Likely, and Possible Galactic PNe, with the work accelerating over the last three years in particular. These new discoveries represent ~5% of all 3831 True, Likely, and Possible Galactic PNe currently known according to the HASH database as of March 2022. A further 610 PNe candidates are awaiting follow-up. These figures demonstrate the power and value of the amateur community in undertaking a coordinated and focused programme such as this.
Tables 1-5 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to ftp://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/666/A152- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- October 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1051/0004-6361/202243393
- Bibcode:
- 2022A&A...666A.152L
- Keywords:
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- catalogs;
- methods: observational;
- instrumentation: spectrographs;
- planetary nebulae: general