Medusa Nebula

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Medusa Nebula

Medusa nebula, 24 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, AZ.

Courtesy of Joseph D. Schulman

Observation data
(Epoch J2000.0)

Right ascension

07h 29m 02.69s[1][2]

Declination

+13 14 48.4[1][2]

Distance

1,500 ly (460 pc)[3]

Apparent magnitude

15.99[1]

(V)

Apparent dimensions

4 ly[3]

(V)

Constellation

Gemini

Physical characteristics

Absolute magnitude

7.68

(V)

Notable features

Very large & very low surface

brightness

Other designations

Sharpless 2-274, PK 205+14 1,

Abel 21 [1]

See also: Planetary nebula, Lists of nebulae

Coordinates:

07h 29m 02s, +13 14 15

The Medusa Nebula is a large planetary nebula in the constellation of Gemini on the
Canis Minor border. It also known as Abell 21 and Sharpless 274. It was originally
discovered in 1955 by UCLA astronomer George O. Abell, who classified it as an old
planetary nebula.[4] The braided serpentine filaments of glowing gas suggests the
serpent hair of Medusa found in ancient Greek mythology.
Until the early 1970s, the Medusa was thought to be a supernova remnant. With the
computation of expansion velocities and the thermal character of the radio emission,
Soviet astronomers in 1971 concluded that it was most likely a planetary nebula.[4]
As the nebula is so big, its surface brightness is very low, with surface magnitudes of
between +15.99 and +25 reported. Because of this most websites recommend at least an
8-inch (200 mm) telescope with an [O III] filter to find this object although probably
possible to image with smaller apertures.[citation needed]

References
1. ^ a b c d "MEDUSA -- Planetary Nebula". Centre de Donnes astronomiques de
Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/simid?protocol=html&Ident=Medusa+Nebula. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
2. ^ a b Cutri, R. M.; Skrutskie, M. F.; Van Dyk, S.; Beichman, C. A. et al. (2003 June).
"2MASS All Sky Catalog of point sources". The IRSA 2MASS All-Sky Point Source
Catalog, NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive.. Bibcode 2003tmc..book.....C.
3. ^ a b Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA) (12 June 2010). "The Medusa
Nebula". Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap100612.html. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
4. ^ a b Lozinskaya, T. A. (1973, June). "Interferometry of the Medusa Nebula A21 (YM
29)" (PDF). Soviet Astronomy 16: p.945. Bibcode 1973SvA....16..945L.

External links

The Sharpless Catalog: Sharpless 274

APOD picture: The Medusa Nebula

Images of the Universe: PK 205+14.1 The Medusa Nebula in Gemini

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Sharpless catalog

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See also: Stewart Sharpless

RCW catalog
Gum catalog
Nebula

Retrieved from
"http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Medusa_Nebula&oldid=519881185"
Categories:

Planetary nebulae
Gemini (constellation)
Sharpless objects

Source Material: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa_Nebula