IC 4406

Planetary nebula


caption=HST view of IC 4406
name = IC 4406
epoch = J2000
ra = RA|14|22|26.278cite web
title=SIMBAD Astronomical Database
work=Results for IC 4406
url=http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/Simbad
accessdate=2006-12-19]
dec = DEC|-44|09|04.35
dist_ly = 2.0 kly (600 pc)cite journal
author=O'dell, C. R.; Balick, B.; Hajian, A. R.; Henney, W. J.; Burkert, A.
title=Knots in Planetary Nebulae
journal=Winds, Bubbles, and Explosions: a conference to honor John Dyson, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México, September 9-13, 2002 (Eds. S. J. Arthur & W. J. Henney) Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica (Serie de Conferencias) (http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/~rmaa/)
year=2003
volume=15
pages=29–33
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2003RMxAC..15...29O ]
radius_ly = 0.13 × 0.45 lyFact|date=February 2007
appmag_v =
size_v = 30″Fact|date=February 2007
constellation = Lupus
diameter_ly = -
absmag_v = -0.3
notes = -
names = Retina Nebulacite journal
author=O'Dell, C. R.; Balick, B.; Hajian, A. R.; Henney, W. J.; Burkert, A.
title=Knots in Nearby Planetary Nebulae
journal=The Astronomical Journal
year=2002
volume=123
issue=6
pages=3329–3347
url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2002AJ....123.3329O
doi=10.1086/340726 ]

IC 4406 is a planetary nebula near the western border of the constellation Lupus, the Wolf. It has dust clouds and has the shape of a torus. Despite this, it looks somewhat rectangular because it is seen from its side as viewed from Earth, almost in the plane of its equator.

tructure

IC 4406 is bipolar and appears to be a prolate spheroid with strong concentrations of material in its equator. This kind of structure is a natural product of a bipolar model. The knots of IC 4406 have a "lacy" appearance and have no ordered symmetry towards the central star. The knots have no tails. None of the features have bright edges.

References