WeBo 1 and the heart of the Heart Nebula in Ha

While imaging the Heart Nebula for the third time, I noticed a new detail while processing the Ha data -- the planetary nebula WeBo 1 (also known as PN G135.6+01.0). This planetary nebula {PN) is located about 5,000 ly away in the constellation Cassiopeia. The PN is about 1 arc-minute wide (the full moon is 30 arc minutes wide), corresponding to a length of 1.5 ly. We are seeing the PN from an almost edge-on perspective, so the circular ring around the central star appears elliptical.

The central star has been determined spectroscopically to be a barium star. Barium stars are spectral class G to K stars whose spectra indicate an overabundance of slow neutron-capture process (s-process) elements by the presence of singly ionized barium. The s-process is responsible for the creation of approximately half the atomic nuclei heavier than iron.

Observational studies suggest that all barium stars are binary stars. This PN's barium star's companion is a white dwarf and is no longer visible to us. This binary system has a 5-day rotation period. This binary rotation led to the Ha gas being preferentially ejected in an orbital plane rather than a sphere, so WeBo 1 is surrounded by a ring of gas instead of a sphere.

 

WeBo 1 was first identified in 1995 on Digitized Sky Survey images.

 

Rio Rancho NM Bortle 5 zone,

Oct 26-28, 2023

William Optics Redcat 51

ZWO 183mm pro

ZWO 30mm f/4 mini guide scope and ZWO 120 Mini

ZWO ASI Air Pro

Sky-Watcher HEQ5

272 X 300s Ha

Darks flats dithering GraXpert

Gain 111 at -10C

Processed in DSS and PS

 

 

Done