Related papers: When Nature Tries to Trick Us
A number of efforts are underway to detect close binary stars in planetary nebulae. The primary goal of these studies is to determine the binary fraction of central stars. The next stage is a detailed analysis of the binaries to determine…
Close binary interactions perform a key role in the formation and shaping of planetary nebulae. However only a small fraction of Galactic planetary nebulae are known to host close binary systems. Many such systems are detectable through…
The substantial number of binary central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe) now known ($\sim$50) has revealed a strong connection between binarity and some morphological features including jets and low-ionisation structures. However, some…
A consensus has been reached in recent years that binarity plays an important role in the formation and evolution of a significant fraction of planetary nebulae (PNe). Utilizing the archived photometric data from the Zwicky Transient…
The morphology of bipolar planetary nebulae (PNe) can be attributed to interactions between a fast wind from the central engine and dense toroidal shaped ejecta left over from common envelope (CE) evolution. Here we use the 3-D hydrodynamic…
The central star of the planetary nebula (CSPN) M 2-29 shows an extraordinary R Coronae Borealis-like fading event in its optical lightcurve. The only other CSPN to show these events are CPD-568032 (Hen 3-1333) and V651 Mon (NGC 2346). Dust…
We present the many evolutionary routes that progenitors of bipolar planetary nebulae (BPNe) can take. Overall, there are about a hundred qualitatively different evolutionary routes, hence about a hundred qualitatively different types of…
Mid-IR observations of planetary nebulae (PNe) have revealed diffuse emission associated to their main nebular shells and outer envelopes or haloes. The interpretation of this emission is uncertain because the broad-band mid-IR images may…
Context: In recent years mid- and far infrared spectra of planetary nebulae have been analysed and lead to more accurate abundances. It may be expected that these better abundances lead to a better understanding of the evolution of these…
Planetary Nebulae (PNe) are the result of heavy mass loss of the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. They are understood in terms of Kwok's (1978) interacting-winds model as the product of the mass-loss history on the AGB and the central…
We present thermal-IR images of three extreme bipolar objects, M2-9, Mz3, and He2-104. They are bipolar planetary nebulae with bright central stars and are thought to be powered by symbiotic binary systems. The mid-IR images spatially…
The kinematics and physical conditions of the bipolar planetary nebula M 2-48 are analysed from high and low dispersion long-slit spectra. Previous CCD narrow-band optical observations have suggested that this nebula is mainly formed by a…
We present surprising similarities between some bipolar planetary nebulae (PNe) and eruptive objects with peak luminosity between novae and supernovae. The later group is termed ILOT for intermediate luminosity optical transients (other…
Since various structural components of planetary nebulae manifest themselves differently, a combination of optical, infrared, submm, and radio techniques is needed to derive a complete picture of planetary nebulae. The effects of projection…
The majority of planetary nebulae (PNe) are not spherical, and current single-star models cannot adequately explain all the morphologies we observe. This has led to the Binary Hypothesis, which states that PNe are preferentially formed by…
The common envelope interaction is responsible for evolved close binaries. Among them are a minority of central stars of planetary nebula (PN). Recent observational results, however, point to most PN actually being in binary systems. We…
Proto-planetary nebulae (pPN) and planetary nebulae (PN) seem to be formed by interacting winds from asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. The observational issue that most pPN are bipolar but most older PN are elliptical is addressed. We…
The Kepler Observatory offers unprecedented photometric precision (<1 mmag) and cadence for monitoring the central stars of planetary nebulae, allowing the detection of tiny periodic light curve variations, a possible signature of binarity.…
High-precision and high-cadence photometric surveys such as Kepler or TESS are making huge progress not only in the detection of new extrasolar planets but also in the study of a great number of variable stars. This is the case for central…
Binarity and mass transfer appear to play a key role in the shaping and, possibly, formation of planetary nebulae (PNe), thereby explaining the large fraction of axisymmetric morphologies. I present the binary hypothesis for PNe and its…