Planetary Nebula NGC 4361

Spitzer_ssc2009-15a3_1024

spitzer_ssc2009-15a3 August 5th, 2009

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This infrared picture shows a dying star called NGC 4361. This star was once a lot like our sun, before it evolved and puffed out its outer layers. The object, called a planetary nebula, is unusual in that is has four lobes, or jets, of ejected material instead of the standard two. Astronomers suspect the there might be two dying stars inside the nebula, each producing a bipolar jet. Orange primarily shows heated gas.

This image is one of the first to be taken during Spitzer's warm mission -- a new phase that began after the telescope, which operated for more than five-and-a-half years, ran out of liquid coolant. The picture was snapped with the two infrared channels that still work at Spitzer's still-quite-chilly temperature of 30 Kelvin (about minus 406 Fahrenheit). The two infrared channels are part of Spitzer's infrared array camera: 3.6-micron light is blue and 4.5-micron light is orange.

This picture was taken while the telescope was being re-commissioned, on July 18.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2710-ssc2009-15a3-Planetary-Nebula-NGC-4361

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
NGC 4361
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Planetary

Distance

Universescale1
3,900 light years
Spitzer_ssc2009-15a3_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 12h 24m 30.6s
DEC = -18° 47’ 3.1”
Orientation
North is 108.2° CW
Field of View
6.1 x 6.1 arcminutes
Constellation
Corvus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Orange Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Orange
Spitzer_ssc2009-15a3_1280
×
ID
ssc2009-15a3
Subject Category
B.4.1.3.  
Subject Name
NGC 4361
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date
2009-08-05
Lightyears
3,900
Redshift
3,900
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2710-ssc2009-15a3-Planetary-Nebula-NGC-4361
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Orange
Band
Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
186.12757414872183, -18.784200417274679
Reference Dimension
1216, 1216
Reference Pixel
608, 608
Scale
-8.33335E-05, 8.33335E-05
Rotation
-108.21118
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2009-15a3.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-01
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
3,900 light years

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