M2-42

Minkowski 2-42 (M2-42)
Emission nebula
Planetary nebula
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension18h 22m 32.08s[1]
Declination−24° 09′ 27.7″[1]
Distance30,800 (9444 pc)[1] ly
Apparent magnitude (V)13.9[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)4″[1]
Notable featuresBipolar outflow, Bipolar nebula
DesignationsPN M 2-42

PNG 008.2-04.8
PK 008-04 2
Hen 2-393
ESO 522-21
PN Sa 2-331

WRAY 16-409
See also: Lists of nebulae

Minkowski 2-42, abbreviated M2-42, is a planetary nebula that was discovered by Rudolph Minkowski in 1947.[2] It is located about 30,800 light-years away from Earth in the Galactic bulge.[1] It is known to be a bipolar planetary nebula containing two jets of material emerging from both sides of its central star.[3] It has been found that its bipolar outflows have the typical features of Fast Low-Ionization Emission Region (FLIER). [3]

The central star of M2-42 is classified as weak emission-line star,[4] but its nitrogen and helium features[5] may be linked to nitrogen sequences of Wolf-Rayet central stars of planetary nebula ([WN]).[3] The chemical composition of this planetary nebula was found to be around the solar metallicity.[6]

Image of M2-42 taken by the VLT Survey Telescope. The green part of the image was taken with a H-alpha filter.
  1. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference simbad was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Minkowski1947 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Danehkar2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tylenda1993 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference DePew2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wang2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).