Planetary Nebulae to Scale

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Came across this image when browsing this article, based on more up-to-date distance estimates so hopefully more accurate than earlier attempts.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Very interesting to see the range of sizes isn't nearly as big as for some other classes of objects (galaxies, stars)

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Yes. I guess that makes a certain amount of sense, as the central white dwarf will only pump out enough ionizing UV for a fairly short amount of time until it cools down, and the gases can only travel so far in that time.

If the Squid is a PN it's a big one, but then it is very faint, consistent with it being late in its life.

[John]

Interesting picture and article

[Knight of Clear Skies]

I guess there would be some correlation between the age of the PN and it's size if you could remove the effects of distance ?

To some degree, yes, but I don't know how much the speeds of the ejected material varies from PN to PN.

[RobertI]

I'd love a poster of that!

[laudropb]

Very nice post. Thanks for sharing.

[niallk]

Very cool - nice one

[almcl]

Sorry, coming a bit late to this wonderful picture, thanks for posting it.

Now a really trivial question, can anyone identify the 22 planetaries in the picture?  I think I can see M57 and  M27 but would have also expected M1 and M97 for example.   But would really like to know about all of them.

[philipus]

Wonderful picture, and thanks for posting the link to the interesting article, too.

Nebulae are one of the space objects that fascinate me the most. Are there any good books focusing only on them that perhaps also include lesser known ones?

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Now a really trivial question, can anyone identify the 22 planetaries in the picture?  I think I can see M57 and  M27 but would have also expected M1 and M97 for example.   But would really like to know about all of them.

I recognise the Ring, Dumbbell, Helix, Cat's Eye and Eskimo but not the others. It's possible they were chosen as much to show the range of sizes as for how well known they are.

[Owmuchonomy]

The one at 1 o'clock is the blue snowball NGC 7662 in Andromeda. I was observing it last night. Interestingly I was given an unbranded UHC Filter that was a raffle prize. On the said object it produced what I thought was a skewed and thus flawed brightness view. Now I've seen the collection above I realise it was showing the enhanced true view.

[Owmuchonomy]

Sorry, coming a bit late to this wonderful picture, thanks for posting it.

Now a really trivial question, can anyone identify the 22 planetaries in the picture?  I think I can see M57 and  M27 but would have also expected M1 and M97 for example.   But would really like to know about all of them.

I believe M1 is a supernova remnant of recent origin, recorded by 11th century Chinese scientists rather than a PN.

[almcl]

 It's possible they were chosen as much to show the range of sizes as for how well known they are.

I think that must be the case. 

Managed to identify a few more in the lunch break (clockwise outward from #4):

NGC 7009  Saturn

NGC 6286  Blinking planetary (looks nothing like my image of it !)

NGC 6543  Cat's eye

NGC 2392  Eskimo

NGC 1501 

NGC 2440  Bow tie

NGC 6720  Ring

NGC 3132  8-burst

PLN 329+2.1Shapley 1 

NGC 5189  Spiral

NGC 6853  Dumbbell

NGC 2818 

NGC 7293  Helix

ESO 378-1 Southern Owl

[almcl]

I believe M1 is a supernova remnant of recent origin, recorded by 11th century Chinese scientists rather than a PN.

Ah!

Yes, I hadn't made the distinction. 

Thanks.

[Owmuchonomy]

To supplement this great post by Knight... one should also consult this remarkable post by Qualia.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/224890-planetary-nebulae-a-little-guide/

[symesie04]

Given they are all formed through almost identical processes and from stars of similar masses its amazing just how varied their appearances are. But either way each is unique and as beautiful as the next. Its sad to think that many people pass their lives without so much as seeing these jewels of the sky even in a book . Sadly ignorant to their existence. 

[Knight of Clear Skies]

Its sad to think that many people pass their lives without so much as seeing these jewels of the sky even in a book .

Yes, especially given how vital they are. If they didn't recycle those heavier elements we wouldn't be here to have this conversation.

[Paether]

1. Abell 33, 

ESO 378-1 

NGC 7293 

IC 5148  

NGC 2818, 

Messier 27 

NGC 5189  

Shapley 1  

IC 289

Fleming 1

NGC 3132 

IC 4406  

Messier 57  

NGC 2440

NGC 1501

NGC 2392  

NGC 6543 

NGC 3242  

NGC 7009  

IC 418 

NGC 7027

?

[niallk]

• Abell 33,
• ESO 378-1
• NGC 7293
• IC 5148
• NGC 2818,
• Messier 27
• NGC 5189
• Shapley 1
• IC 289
• Fleming 1
• NGC 3132
• IC 4406
• Messier 57
• NGC 2440
• NGC 1501
• NGC 2392
• NGC 6543
• NGC 3242
• NGC 7009
• IC 418
• NGC 7027
• ?

22. HD 44179

...??

[almcl]

Thanks for that, Paether.  Great work!

Just one query, I think no 18 looks more like the blinking planetary NGC 6826 rather than Jupiter's Ghost?  (Thumbnail of BP below)