Pressemeddelelse
Funklende stjerne i farverigt nabolag
28. juli 2010
Et spektakulært nyt billede fra ESO’s Wide Field Imager på La Silla-observatoriet i Chile, viser den funklende og usædvanlige stjerne WR 22 og dens farverige omgivelser. WR 22 er en meget varm og klar stjerne, der spreder sin atmosfære ud i rummet med en rate, der er mange millioner gange større end for Solens vedkommende. Den ligger i den ydre del af den dramatiske Carinatåge, som den er dannet af.
Meget tunge stjerner lever et kort liv og dør unge. Nogle af disse stjernefyrtårne har en så intens stråling, der passerer igennem deres tykke atmosfærer sent i deres liv, at de kaster materiale ud i rummet mange millioner gange hurtigere end forholdsvis rolige stjerner som Solen. Disse sjældne, meget varme og tunge objekter er kendt som Wolf-Rayet-stjerner [1]. De er opkaldt efter de to franske astronomer, der første gang identificerede dem i midten af det nittende århundrede. En af de tungeste, der endnu er målt, er kendt som WR 22. Den ses i midten af dette billede, der er en kombination af optagelser lavet gennem et rødt, et grønt og et blåt filter med Wide Field Imager på MPG/ESO 2,2 meter teleskopet på ESO's La Silla-observatorium i Chile. WR 22 er medlem af et dobbeltstjernesystem og er blevet målt til at være mindst 70 gange tungere end Solen.
WR 22 ligger i den sydlige del af stjernebilledet Carina, kølen på Jason's skib Argo i den græske mytologi. Selvom stjernen ligger over 5000 lysår fra Jorden, er den så klar, at den netop kan anes med det blotte øje under gode betingelser. WR 22 er en af mange usædvanligt klare stjerner, der hører til den smukke Carinatåge (også kendt som NGC 3372). Det er den ydre del af dette enorme stjernedannende område i den sydlige Mælkevej, der danner den farverige baggrund i dette billede.
De fine nuancer på dette rige baggrundstæppe er et resultat af samspillet mellem den intense ultraviolette stråling, der kommer fra varme tunge stjerner, herunder WR 22, og de umådelige gasskyer, hovedsageligt brint, som stjernerne er dannet af. Den centrale del af dette enorme kompleks af gas og støv, ligger udenfor venstre kant af dette billede, som det kan ses på billedet eso1031b. Dette område omfatter den bemærkelsesværdige stjerne Eta Carinae og er blevet omtalt i en tidligere pressemeddelelse (eso0905).
Noter
[1] Mere information om Wolf-Rayet-stjerner: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf-Rayet_star
Mere information
ESO, det Europæiske Syd Observatorium, er den mest fremtrædende internationale astronomi-organisation i Europa og verdens mest produktive astronomiske observatorium. ESO har i dag følgende 14 medlemslande: Belgien, Danmark, Finland, Frankrig, Holland, Italien, Portugal, Schweiz og Storbritannien, Spanien, Sverige, Tjekkiet, Tyskland og Østrig. Flere lande har udtrykt interesse i medlemskab. ESO’s aktiviteter er fokuseret på design, konstruktion og drift af jordbaserede observationsfaciliteter for astronomi for at muliggøre vigtige videnskabelige opdagelser. ESO spiller også en ledende rolle for at fremme og organisere samarbejdet inden for astronomisk forskning. I Chile driver ESO tre unikke observatorier i verdensklasse: La Silla, Paranal og Chajnantor. På Paranal driver ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), der er verdens mest avancerede astronomiske observatorium til observationer i synligt lys, og VISTA, som er verdens største kortlægningsteleskop. ESO er den europæiske partner i et revolutionerede astronomisk teleskop kaldet ALMA, det største igangværende astronomiske projekt. ESO planlægger i øjeblikket et 42 meter optisk/nær-infrarødt teleskop kaldet European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), der vil blive ”verdens største øje mod himlen”.
Links
Kontakter
Douglas Pierce-Price
ESO
Garching, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6759
E-mail: dpiercep@eso.org
Richard Hook
ESO, Survey Telescopes PIO
Garching
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
E-mail: rhook@eso.org
Ole J. Knudsen (Pressekontakt Danmark)
ESOs formidlingsnetværk
og Aarhus Space Centre, Aarhus Universitet
Aarhus, Danmark
Tel: +45 8715 5597
E-mail: eson-denmark@eso.org
Om pressemeddelelsen
| Pressemeddelelse nr.: | eso1031da |
| Navn: | Carina Nebula, Eta Carinae, WR 22 |
| Type: | Milky Way : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet Milky Way : Nebula |
| Facility: | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope |
| Instruments: | WFI |
Billeder
Videoer
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