Open cluster Messier 37 hosts a planetary nebula, study finds

Tomasz Nowakowski is a member of the physics.org community.

The open cluster known as Messier 37 has been studied by astronomer. The finding of a large and evolved planetary nebula is one of the main findings. A paper detailing the study was published in August.

The shells of gas and dust ejected from a star during its evolution into a red giant or white dwarf are called planetary nebulae. Astronomers use them to study the chemical evolution of stars and galaxies.

The largest open cluster in the constellation Auriga is located at a distance of some 4,500 light years. It has a radius of about 10 to 13 light years and contains more than 500 stars.

A team of astronomer led by the National Autonomous University of Mexico presented evidence showing that a PN known as IPHASX J055226.2+724323 is part of Messier 37. The white dwarf is a high-probability proper motion member of Messier 37.

The nebula was found and classified as a PN candidate by the author. The researchers wrote in the paper that they presented new high resolution radial velocity data that confirmed the OC-PN link.

The consistent radial velocities and proper motions of the confirmed planetary nebula's central star and cluster stars are the basis of the hypothesis. The reddening and distance agreement support this scenario.

The study states that IPHASX J055226.2+323724 is a large PN with a low surface brightness. There is a patchy internal structure and the emission line spectrum suggests a type-I chemistry. A white dwarf is the central star of the nebula.

The authors of the paper said that IPHASX J055226.2+323724 is the third known PN in a Galactic open cluster. It's evolved status gives important hints about the maximum observable lifetime.

The researchers concluded that the planetary nebula appears to have the largest kinematical age ever determined and suggests increased visibility lifetimes when they are located in clusters.

More information: Vasiliki Fragkou et al, The Planetary Nebula in the 500 Myr old Open Cluster M37. arXiv:2208.06101v1 [astro-ph.SR], arxiv.org/abs/2208.06101

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