NGC 40

For the Bow Tie Nebula in Centaurus, see Boomerang Nebula.
NGC 40
Nebula
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension 00h 13m 01.015s[1]
Declination +72° 31′ 19.085″[1]
Distance ~3,500 ly (~1.0 kpc)[2] ly
Apparent magnitude (V) 10.7,[1] 11.6[2]
Apparent dimensions (V) 38 x 35 arcseconds[2]
Constellation Cepheus
Designations Bow-Tie Nebula, Caldwell 2

NGC 40 (also known as the Bow-Tie Nebula and Caldwell 2) is a planetary nebula discovered by William Herschel on November 25, 1788, and is composed of hot gas around a dying star. The star has ejected its outer layer which has left behind a smaller, hot star with a temperature on the surface of about 50,000 degrees Celsius.[3] Radiation from the star causes the shed outer layer to heat to about 10,000 degrees Celsius,[3] and is about one light-year across.[3] About 30,000 years from now, scientists theorize that NGC 40 will fade away, leaving only a white dwarf star approximately the size of Earth.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for NGC 40. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
  2. 1 2 3 O'Meara, Stephen James (2002). Deep Sky Companions: The Caldwell Objects. Sky Publishing Corporation. pp. 22–23. ISBN 0-933346-97-2.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Chandra X-Ray Observatory". Retrieved 2007-06-05.

Coordinates: 00h 13m 01s, +72° 31′ 19″

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