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Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Nebulae
Hubble Space Telescope and the Orion Nebula Cluster
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has significantly advanced our understanding of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) through its Treasury Program. This program utilized 104 orbits of HST time to image the Great Orion Nebula region using the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), the Wide-Field/Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2), and the Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrograph (NICMOS) across 11 filters. The primary goal was to study the stellar components of the ONC at visible wavelengths, addressing key questions such as the cluster's initial mass function, age spread, mass accretion, binarity, and circumstellar disk evolution1. The program provided ACS photometry for 3399 stars, WFPC2 photometry for 1643 stars, and NICMOS JH photometry for 2116 stars, making the data publicly available through the Space Telescope Science Institute archive1.
Morphological Studies of Planetary Nebulae
Hubble 12 (Hb 12)
Hubble 12 (Hb 12) is a young planetary nebula (PN) that has been studied using both HST archival data and Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) measurements. The observations revealed three pairs of bipolar structures and an arc-shaped filament, suggesting multiple mass-ejection events during the pre-PN phase. A three-dimensional model was constructed to visualize Hb 12 at various orientations, showing similarities to other nested hourglass nebulae like Hen 2-320 and M 2-9, indicating that such morphologies may be more common than previously thought2.
NGC 6302
NGC 6302, another young PN, was studied using HST's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) across a range of wavelengths from near-UV to near-IR. The imaging revealed a dusty toroidal equatorial structure bisecting the nebula's polar lobes, with fine structures such as clumps, knots, and filaments within the lobes. Notably, bright S-shaped [Fe II] emission traced the interior of the lobe rims, interpreted as zones of shocks from fast, collimated winds from the central star(s). This study challenges existing models of bipolar PN evolution3.
NGC 7027 and NGC 6302
Further studies on NGC 7027 and NGC 6302 using HST/WFC3 imaging have provided insights into the shaping processes of PNe. Both nebulae exhibit axisymmetric and point-symmetric structures, with significant masses of molecular gas and dust. These observations are crucial for testing theories on the structural and chemical evolution of evolved star ejecta7.
Expansion Parallaxes and Distance Measurements
HST has also been instrumental in determining distances to planetary nebulae using expansion parallax techniques. By combining HST imaging data with ground-based expansion velocities, distances to nebulae such as NGC 6578, NGC 6884, and IC 2448 were determined. This method involves comparing the nebula's expansion over time to its known velocity, providing accurate distance measurements4.
Astrometry in the Orion Nebula Cluster
High-precision proper motion studies in the ONC, based on HST's ACS/WFC camera, have cataloged 2454 objects, probing stellar masses from approximately 0.4 M☉ down to 0.02 M☉. This study identified four new ONC candidate runaways, contributing to a total of 10 known candidate runaway sources. These findings suggest that the mass function of the ONC is not significantly affected by the loss of runaways, prompting a re-examination of dynamical processes in young star clusters5.
Conclusion
The Hubble Space Telescope has provided invaluable data on various nebulae, from the Orion Nebula Cluster to multiple planetary nebulae. These observations have enhanced our understanding of stellar formation, nebular morphology, and the dynamic processes within these celestial objects. The detailed imaging and data analysis continue to challenge and refine existing astrophysical models, contributing to our broader understanding of the universe.
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Most relevant research papers on this topic
THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE TREASURY PROGRAM ON THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER,
The Hubble Space Telescope Treasury Program on the Orion Nebula Cluster has provided the definitive study of the stellar component at visible wavelengths, addressing key questions about cluster initial mass function, age spread, mass accretion, binarity, and cirumstellar disk evolution.
Morphological study of the nested planetary nebula Hubble 12
Hubble 12 is a young planetary nebula with a mixed chemistry and potential cool companion in its nucleus, suggesting that this type of nebula may be common and morphologies are not as diverse as their visual appearances suggest.
Panchromatic HST/WFC3 Imaging Studies of Young, Rapidly Evolving Planetary Nebulae. I. NGC 6302
This HST/WFC3 imaging study of NGC 6302 reveals a complex structure and challenging environment, challenging models of the origin and evolution of bipolar planetary nebulae.
Hubble Space Telescope Expansion Parallaxes of the Planetary Nebulae NGC 6578, NGC 6884, NGC 6891, and IC 2448
The Hubble Space Telescope has determined distances to three planetary nebulae using two methods, with NGC 6884 and IC 2448 being the most distant, and NGC 6891 being the least distant.
Hubble Space Telescope Astrometry in the Orion Nebula Cluster: Census of Low-mass Runaways
The Hubble Space Telescope has identified four new low-mass runaway sources in the Orion Nebula Cluster, potentially re-examining dynamical processes in very young star clusters.
Hubble Space Telescope Observations of Planetary Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds. VII. Cycle 3 and Archive Narrowband [O III] 500.7 nanometer Imaging
The Hubble Space Telescope has identified approximately 50% of planetary nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds as He-burning central stars, indicating that nebular ages are similar for both H-burning and He-burning nuclei.
First Results from a Panchromatic HST/WFC3 Imaging Study of the Young, Rapidly Evolving Planetary Nebulae NGC 7027 and NGC 6302
The HST/WFC3 imaging study of NGC 7027 and NGC 6303 provides key insights into planetary nebula shaping processes and provides essential tests for theories on structural and chemical evolution of evolved star ejecta.
Hubble Space Telescope Imaging of IRAS 17441–2411: A Case Study of a Bipolar Nebula with a Circumstellar Disk
Bipolar structures like IRAS 17441-2411 are likely more common than observed, as they may appear stellar due to their orientation in the sky.
Hubble Space Telescope observations of planetary nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds. I: The extreme type I SMP 83/WS 35
SMP 83 is an extremely massive type I planetary nebula with a central star having an effective temperature of 170,000 K and a luminosity of nearly 310 4 L.
Hubble Space Telescope V-Band Imaging of the Bipolar Proto-Planetary Nebula IRAS 17150–3224
The bipolar proto-planetary nebula IRAS 17150-3224 shows periodic mass-loss enhancement in the asymptotic giant branch phase, suggesting spherically symmetric mass loss during this phase.
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