The Ever Changing Circumstellar Nebula Around UW Centauri

Details The Ever Changing Circumstellar Nebula Around UW Centauri The Ever Changing Circumstellar Nebula Around UW Centauri

1999-03-27

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9903419v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

To be published in ApJ Letters. 5 pages, 3 figures (2 in color)

Scientific paper

10.1086/312042

We present new images of the reflection nebula surrounding the R Coronae Borealis Star, UW Cen. This nebula, first detected in 1990, has changed its appearance significantly. At the estimated distance of UW Cen, this nebula is approximately 0.6 ly in radius so the nebula cannot have physically altered in only 8 years. Instead, the morphology of the nebula appears to change as different parts are illuminated by light from the central star modulated by shifting thick dust clouds near its surface. These dust clouds form and dissipate at irregular intervals causing the well-known declines in the R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars. In this way, the central star acts like a lighthouse shining through holes in the dust clouds and lighting up different portions of the nebula. The existence of this nebula provides clues to the evolutionary history of RCB stars possibly linking them to the Planetary Nebulae and the final helium shell flash stars.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

The Ever Changing Circumstellar Nebula Around UW Centauri does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with The Ever Changing Circumstellar Nebula Around UW Centauri, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Ever Changing Circumstellar Nebula Around UW Centauri will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-270009