Planetary nebulae are believed to represent the fate of all Sun-like
stars; as the star evolves it sheds its outers layers in the form of a
dense stellar wind which is then ionised to form the glowing shell of
the planetary nebula. It has become apparent that the wide array of
shapes found in planetary nebulae are difficult to understand in a
single star scenario. The interaction between a dying star and a
companion star in a very close orbit (generally with an orbital period
as short as a few hours to a few days) is the preferred mechanism for
forming strongly aspherical morphologies.
Researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Spain
and KU Leuven, Belgium have demonstrated that the star at the centre of
NGC1514 has a binary companion orbiting roughly once every nine
years—the longest orbital period known in a planetary
nebula—demonstrating that even binaries with very long periods can play
an important role in the shaping of their planetary nebulae.
More information:
D. Jones, H. Van Winckel, A. Aller, K. Exter and O. De Marco, 2017, "The long-period binary central stars of the planetary nebulae NGC 1514 and LoTr 5", A&A, 600, L9 [ Paper ].
The longest stellar "dance" in a planetary nebula. IAC press release, 04 April 2017.
Contact:
Javier Méndez (Public Relations Officer)
Source: Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
