NGC 6164 explained

Type:Diffuse nebula
NGC 6164
Epoch:J2000
Ra:16h 33m 42s
Constellation:Norma
Dec:-48° 04’ 47”
Appmag V:6.71
Names:NGC 6164, AM 1630-475, ESO 226-EN 012
Dist Ly:3,870
Dist Pc:1,188
Dimensions:3.0' x 3.0'

NGC 6164, known as the Dragon's Egg Nebula,[1] [2] is an emission nebula located in the constellation Norma. The nebula was discovered by astronomer John Herschel in 1834, and is approximately 3,870 light years from the solar system.

Its shape gives it the appearance of a planetary nebula resulting from the death of an old star similar to the Sun, but it is in reality an emission nebula. The gas from this nebula was ejected by the star located at its center, and this is also the source of its energy. In the Henry Draper Catalogue, this star is designated as HD 148937.[3] [4] It is a very young O-type star whose age is between three and four million years.[5] [6] Surrounded by its magnetic field,[7] this star is about 40 times more massive than the Sun, and is expected to end its life on the main sequence in three to four million years.

See also

External links

References

  1. Web site: information@eso.org . The nebula NGC 6164/6165 in the constellation of Norma . 2024-07-25 . www.eso.org . en.
  2. Web site: Starr . Michelle . 2024-04-11 . Enigmatic 'Dragon's Egg' Star Is a Magnetic Monster And We Finally Know Why . 2024-07-25 . ScienceAlert . en-US.
  3. Web site: info@noirlab.edu . Nebula NGC 6164-5 . 2024-07-25 . www.noirlab.edu . en.
  4. Henize . Karl G. . 1959-01-01 . A new planetary nebula NGC 6164-65 (Cederblad 135a, b). . The Astronomical Journal . 64 . 51 . 10.1086/108043 . 0004-6256.
  5. Web site: A Halo for NGC 6164 . 2024-07-25 . www.as.arizona.edu.
  6. Web site: APOD: 2014 May 22 - A Halo for NGC 6164 . 2024-07-25 . apod.nasa.gov.
  7. Wade . G. A. . Grunhut . J. . Gräfener . G. . Howarth . I. D. . Martins . F. . Petit . V. . Vink . J. S. . Bagnulo . S. . Folsom . C. P. . Nazé . Y. . Walborn . N. R. . Townsend . R. H. D. . Evans . C. J. . 2012-01-01 . The spectral variability and magnetic field characteristics of the Of?p star HD 148937 . Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . 419 . 2459–2471 . 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19897.x . 0035-8711. 1108.4847 .