Astronomers have taken the first pictures of one of the hottest stars in the Galaxy. The temperature on its surface is 200,000C, 35 times hotter than the Sun. The mysterious dying star at the heart of the Bug Nebula – 3,500 light years away in the constellation Scorpius – has never been seen before as it is hidden behind a cloud of dust and ice.
A team of astronomers at the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Centre of Astrophysics, led by Professor Albert Zijlstra, recorded the images using the recently refurbished Hubble Space Telescope. They will be published in the Astrophysical Journalnext week. The Bug Nebula has long been regarded as one of the brightest and most beautiful of the planetary nebulae.
Professor Zijlstra said: „Planetary nebulae like the Bug form when a dying star ejects much of its gas back into space and are among the most beautiful objects in the night sky“. Our own Sun is set to follow the star’s example in about 5 billion years’ time.
„It is extremely important to understand planetary nebulae such as the Bug Nebula as they are crucial to understanding our own existence on Earth“, Professor Zijlstra said. The images were taken to show off the capabilities of the Hubble Space Telescope after it began work again in September. The astronomers were amazed to discover the hidden star.
Cezary Szyszka, a research student currently working at the European Southern Observatory, said: „We are extremely lucky that we had the opportunity to catch this star near its hottest point. From now on it will gradually cool as it dies. This is truly an exceptional object.“
Komentari