2003/05/19 by Joel H. Kastner, Bruce Balick, Eric G. Blackman +5 · 12 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/376979
published as Astrophys.J. 591 (2003) L37-L40 · 12 pages, 3 figures; to appear in Astrophysical Journal (Letters)
arxiv created 2003/05/19 · openalex publication_date 2003/06/04 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
We report the discovery, by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory , of X-ray emission from the bipolar planetary nebula Menzel 3. In Chandra CCD imaging, Mz 3 displays hot [~(3-6) × 10 6 K] gas within its twin, coaxial bubbles of optical nebulosity as well as a compact X-ray source at the position of its central star(s). The brightest diffuse X-ray emission lies along the polar axis of the optical nebula, suggesting a jetlike configuration. The observed combination of an X-ray-emitting point source and possible X-ray jet(s) is consistent with models in which accretion disks and, potentially, magnetic fields shape bipolar planetary nebulae via the generation of fast, collimated outflows.