NGC 2736

NGC 2736
Observation data (Epoch J2000)
Right ascension	9h 0m 17s[1]
Declination	-45° 54′ 57″[1]
Distance	815 ly
Apparent magnitude (V)	+12.0?
Constellation	Vela[2]
Physical characteristics
Other designations	NGC 2736, Pencil Nebula
See also: Planetary nebula, Lists of nebulae

NGC 2736 is called The Pencil Nebula. It is part of the Vela Supernova Remnant, located near the Vela Pulsar in the constellation Vela. The nebula's linear appearance triggered its popular name. It resides about 815 light-years (250 parsecs) away from our solar system. It is thought to formed from part of the shock wave of the larger Vela Supernova Remnant. The Pencil Nebula is moving at roughly 644,000 kilometers per hour (400,000 miles per hour).

History

On 1 March 1835, John Herschel discovered this object at the Cape of Good Hope and described it as "eeF, L, vvmE; an extraordinary long narrow ray of excessively feeble light; position 19 ±. At least 20' long, extending much beyond the limits of the field...". This agrees perfectly with the ESO- Uppsala listing N2736 = E260-N14, a nebula with dimensions 30'x7', position angle of 20 and notes "Luminous filament". Harold Corwin adds that on the ESO IIIa-F film this nebula is the brightest patch of a huge supernova remnant (Gum Nebula) whose delicate whips cover the field. A relatively bright star is immersed in N2736 (mentioned by Herschel).[1]

See also

• Vela Supernova Remnant

External links

• Space.com article about NGC 2736
• NASA feature

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "NASA/IPAC EXTRAGALACTIC DATABASE". Results for NGC 2736. http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2007-04-03. 
2. ^ "Hubble Heritage Site". Results for NGC 2736. http://heritage.stsci.edu/2003/16/fast_facts.html. Retrieved 2007-04-03.