TY - JOUR
T1 - K 1-6
T2 - An asymmetric planetary nebula with a binary central star
AU - Frew, David J.
AU - Stanger, Jeff
AU - Fitzgerald, Michael
AU - Parker, Quentin
AU - Danaia, Lena
AU - McKinnon, David
AU - Guerrero, Martn A.
AU - Hedberg, John
AU - Hollow, Robert
AU - An, Yvonne
AU - Bor, Shu Han
AU - Colman, Isabel
AU - Graham-White, Claire
AU - Li, Qing Wen
AU - Mai, Juliette
AU - Papadakis, Katerina
AU - Picone-Murray, Julia
AU - Hoang, Melanie Vo
AU - Yean, Vivian
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - We present new imaging data and archival multiwavelength observations of the little-studied emission nebula K 1-6 and its central star. Narrow-band images in Hα (+[N II]) and [O III] taken with the Faulkes Telescope North reveal a stratified, asymmetric, elliptical nebula surrounding a central star which has the colours of a late G or early K-type subgiant or giant. GALEX ultraviolet images reveal a very hot subdwarf or white dwarf coincident in position with this star. The cooler, optically dominant star is strongly variable with a period of 21.312±0.008 days, and is possibly a high-amplitude member of the RS CVn class, although an FK Com classification is also possible. Archival ROSAT data provide good evidence that the cool star has an active corona. We conclude that K 1-6 is most likely an old bona fide planetary nebula at a distance of ∼1.0kpc, interacting with the interstellar medium, and containing a binary or ternary central star. The observations and data analyses reported in this paper were conducted in conjunction with Year 11 high school students as part of an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant science education project, denoted Space To Grow, conducted jointly by professional astronomers, educational researchers, teachers, and high-school students.
AB - We present new imaging data and archival multiwavelength observations of the little-studied emission nebula K 1-6 and its central star. Narrow-band images in Hα (+[N II]) and [O III] taken with the Faulkes Telescope North reveal a stratified, asymmetric, elliptical nebula surrounding a central star which has the colours of a late G or early K-type subgiant or giant. GALEX ultraviolet images reveal a very hot subdwarf or white dwarf coincident in position with this star. The cooler, optically dominant star is strongly variable with a period of 21.312±0.008 days, and is possibly a high-amplitude member of the RS CVn class, although an FK Com classification is also possible. Archival ROSAT data provide good evidence that the cool star has an active corona. We conclude that K 1-6 is most likely an old bona fide planetary nebula at a distance of ∼1.0kpc, interacting with the interstellar medium, and containing a binary or ternary central star. The observations and data analyses reported in this paper were conducted in conjunction with Year 11 high school students as part of an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant science education project, denoted Space To Grow, conducted jointly by professional astronomers, educational researchers, teachers, and high-school students.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79953000099&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/AS10017
DO - 10.1071/AS10017
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79953000099
SN - 1323-3580
VL - 28
SP - 83
EP - 94
JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia
IS - 1
ER -