Resolving the Multiple Outflows in the Egg Nebula with Keck II Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics
Abstract
The Egg Nebula has been regarded as the archetype of bipolar proto-planetary nebulae, yet we lack a coherent model that can explain the morphology and kinematics of the nebular and dusty components observed at high-spatial and spectral resolution. Here, we report on two sets of observations obtained with the Keck Adaptive Optics Laser Guide Star: H to M-band NIRC2 imaging, and narrow bandpath K-band OSIRIS 3-D imaging-spectroscopy (through the H2 2.121micron emission line). While the central star or engine remains un-detected at all bands, we clearly resolve the dusty components in the central region and confirm that peak A is not a companion star. The spatially-resolved spectral analysis provide kinematic information of the H_2 emission regions in the eastern and central parts of the nebula and show projected velocities for the H_2 emission higher than 100 km/s. We discuss these observations against a possible formation scenario for the nebular components.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0709.0473,
title = {Resolving the Multiple Outflows in the Egg Nebula with Keck II Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics},
author = {D. Le Mignant and R. Sahai and A. Bouchez and R. Campbell and M. van Dam and J. Chin and E. Johansson and S. Hartman and R. Lafon and J. Lyke and P. Stomski and D. Summers and P. Wizinowich},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0709.0473},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference "Asymetrical Planetary Nebula IV", edited by Romano L.M. Corradi, Arturo Manchado and Noam Soker