The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST

Orsola De Marco; Muhammad Akashi; Stavros Akras; Javier Alcolea; Isabel Aleman; Philippe Amram; Bruce Balick; Elvire De Beck; Eric G. Blackman; Henri M.J. Boffin; Panos Boumis; Jesse Bublitz; Beatrice Bucciarelli; Valentin Bujarrabal; Jan Cami; Nicholas Chornay; You-Hua Chu; Romano L. M. Corradi; Adam Frank; D. A. García-Hernández; Jorge García-Rojas; Guillermo García-Segura; Veronica Gómez-Llanos; Denise R. Gonçalves; Martín A. Guerrero; David Jones; Amanda I. Karakas; Joel H. Kastner; Sun Kwok; Foteini Lykou; Arturo Manchado; Mikako Matsuura; Iain McDonald; Brent Miszalski; Shazrene S. Mohamed; Ana Monreal-Ibero; Hektor Monteiro; Rodolfo Montez Jr; Paula Moraga Baez; Christophe Morisset; Jason Nordhaus; Claudia Mendes de Oliveira; Zara Osborn; Masaaki Otsuka; Quentin A. Parker; Els Peeters; Bruno C. Quint; Guillermo Quintana-Lacaci; Matt Redman; Ashley J. Ruiter; Laurence Sabin; Raghvendra Sahai; Carmen Sánchez Contreras; Miguel Santander-García; Ivo Seitenzahl; Noam Soker; Angela K. Speck; Letizia Stanghellini; Wolfgang Steffen; Jesús A. Toalá; Toshiya Ueta; Griet Van de Steene; Hans Van Winckel; Paolo Ventura; Eva Villaver; Wouter Vlemmings; Jeremy R. Walsh; Roger Wesson; Albert A. Zijlstra

doi:10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST

Orsola De Marco^*, Muhammad Akashi, Stavros Akras, Javier Alcolea, Isabel Aleman, Philippe Amram, Bruce Balick, Elvire De Beck, Eric G. Blackman, Henri M.J. Boffin, Panos Boumis, Jesse Bublitz, Beatrice Bucciarelli, Valentin Bujarrabal, Jan Cami, Nicholas Chornay, You-Hua Chu, Romano L. M. Corradi, Adam Frank, D. A. García-HernándezJorge García-Rojas, Guillermo García-Segura, Veronica Gómez-Llanos, Denise R. Gonçalves, Martín A. Guerrero, David Jones, Amanda I. Karakas, Joel H. Kastner, Sun Kwok, Foteini Lykou, Arturo Manchado, Mikako Matsuura, Iain McDonald, Brent Miszalski, Shazrene S. Mohamed, Ana Monreal-Ibero, Hektor Monteiro, Rodolfo Montez Jr, Paula Moraga Baez, Christophe Morisset, Jason Nordhaus, Claudia Mendes de Oliveira, Zara Osborn, Masaaki Otsuka, Quentin A. Parker, Els Peeters, Bruno C. Quint, Guillermo Quintana-Lacaci, Matt Redman, Ashley J. Ruiter, Laurence Sabin, Raghvendra Sahai, Carmen Sánchez Contreras, Miguel Santander-García, Ivo Seitenzahl, Noam Soker, Angela K. Speck, Letizia Stanghellini, Wolfgang Steffen, Jesús A. Toalá, Toshiya Ueta, Griet Van de Steene, Hans Van Winckel, Paolo Ventura, Eva Villaver, Wouter Vlemmings, Jeremy R. Walsh, Roger Wesson, Albert A. Zijlstra

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Planetary nebulae—the ejected envelopes of red giant stars—provide us with a history of the last, mass-losing phases of 90% of stars initially more massive than the Sun. Here we analyse images of the planetary nebula NGC 3132 from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations. A structured, extended hydrogen halo surrounding an ionized central bubble is imprinted with spiral structures, probably shaped by a low-mass companion orbiting the central star at about 40–60 au. The images also reveal a mid-infrared excess at the central star, interpreted as a dusty disk, which is indicative of an interaction with another closer companion. Including the previously known A-type visual companion, the progenitor of the NGC 3132 planetary nebula must have been at least a stellar quartet. The JWST images allow us to generate a model of the illumination, ionization and hydrodynamics of the molecular halo, demonstrating the power of JWST to investigate complex stellar outflows. Furthermore, new measurements of the A-type visual companion allow us to derive the value for the mass of the progenitor of a central star with excellent precision: 2.86 ± 0.06 M_⊙. These results serve as pathfinders for future JWST observations of planetary nebulae, providing unique insight into fundamental astrophysical processes including colliding winds and binary star interactions, with implications for supernovae and gravitational-wave systems.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1421-1432
Number of pages	12
Journal	Nature Astronomy
Volume	6
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2
Publication status	Published - Dec 2022

Bibliographical note

Correction to: Nature Astronomy https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2, published online 8 December 2022.

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10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

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De Marco, O., Akashi, M., Akras, S., Alcolea, J., Aleman, I., Amram, P., Balick, B., De Beck, E., Blackman, E. G., Boffin, H. M. J., Boumis, P., Bublitz, J., Bucciarelli, B., Bujarrabal, V., Cami, J., Chornay, N., Chu, Y.-H., Corradi, R. L. M., Frank, A., ... Zijlstra, A. A. (2022). The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST. Nature Astronomy, 6(12), 1421-1432. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

@article{09d5588e53da450bbf33aa9e2fc76f65,

title = "The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST",

abstract = "Planetary nebulae—the ejected envelopes of red giant stars—provide us with a history of the last, mass-losing phases of 90% of stars initially more massive than the Sun. Here we analyse images of the planetary nebula NGC 3132 from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations. A structured, extended hydrogen halo surrounding an ionized central bubble is imprinted with spiral structures, probably shaped by a low-mass companion orbiting the central star at about 40–60 au. The images also reveal a mid-infrared excess at the central star, interpreted as a dusty disk, which is indicative of an interaction with another closer companion. Including the previously known A-type visual companion, the progenitor of the NGC 3132 planetary nebula must have been at least a stellar quartet. The JWST images allow us to generate a model of the illumination, ionization and hydrodynamics of the molecular halo, demonstrating the power of JWST to investigate complex stellar outflows. Furthermore, new measurements of the A-type visual companion allow us to derive the value for the mass of the progenitor of a central star with excellent precision: 2.86 ± 0.06 M⊙. These results serve as pathfinders for future JWST observations of planetary nebulae, providing unique insight into fundamental astrophysical processes including colliding winds and binary star interactions, with implications for supernovae and gravitational-wave systems.",

author = "{De Marco}, Orsola and Muhammad Akashi and Stavros Akras and Javier Alcolea and Isabel Aleman and Philippe Amram and Bruce Balick and {De Beck}, Elvire and Blackman, {Eric G.} and Boffin, {Henri M.J.} and Panos Boumis and Jesse Bublitz and Beatrice Bucciarelli and Valentin Bujarrabal and Jan Cami and Nicholas Chornay and You-Hua Chu and Corradi, {Romano L. M.} and Adam Frank and Garc{\'i}a-Hern{\'a}ndez, {D. A.} and Jorge Garc{\'i}a-Rojas and Guillermo Garc{\'i}a-Segura and Veronica G{\'o}mez-Llanos and Gon{\c c}alves, {Denise R.} and Guerrero, {Mart{\'i}n A.} and David Jones and Karakas, {Amanda I.} and Kastner, {Joel H.} and Sun Kwok and Foteini Lykou and Arturo Manchado and Mikako Matsuura and Iain McDonald and Brent Miszalski and Mohamed, {Shazrene S.} and Ana Monreal-Ibero and Hektor Monteiro and {Montez Jr}, Rodolfo and Baez, {Paula Moraga} and Christophe Morisset and Jason Nordhaus and {Mendes de Oliveira}, Claudia and Zara Osborn and Masaaki Otsuka and Parker, {Quentin A.} and Els Peeters and Quint, {Bruno C.} and Guillermo Quintana-Lacaci and Matt Redman and Ruiter, {Ashley J.} and Laurence Sabin and Raghvendra Sahai and Contreras, {Carmen S{\'a}nchez} and Miguel Santander-Garc{\'i}a and Ivo Seitenzahl and Noam Soker and Speck, {Angela K.} and Letizia Stanghellini and Wolfgang Steffen and Toal{\'a}, {Jes{\'u}s A.} and Toshiya Ueta and {Van de Steene}, Griet and {Van Winckel}, Hans and Paolo Ventura and Eva Villaver and Wouter Vlemmings and Walsh, {Jeremy R.} and Roger Wesson and Zijlstra, {Albert A.}",

note = "Correction to: Nature Astronomy https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2, published online 8 December 2022.",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

pages = "1421--1432",

journal = "Nature Astronomy",

issn = "2397-3366",

publisher = "Springer, Springer Nature",

number = "12",

}

De Marco, O, Akashi, M, Akras, S, Alcolea, J, Aleman, I, Amram, P, Balick, B, De Beck, E, Blackman, EG, Boffin, HMJ, Boumis, P, Bublitz, J, Bucciarelli, B, Bujarrabal, V, Cami, J, Chornay, N, Chu, Y-H, Corradi, RLM, Frank, A, García-Hernández, DA, García-Rojas, J, García-Segura, G, Gómez-Llanos, V, Gonçalves, DR, Guerrero, MA, Jones, D, Karakas, AI, Kastner, JH, Kwok, S, Lykou, F, Manchado, A, Matsuura, M, McDonald, I, Miszalski, B, Mohamed, SS, Monreal-Ibero, A, Monteiro, H, Montez Jr, R, Baez, PM, Morisset, C, Nordhaus, J, Mendes de Oliveira, C, Osborn, Z, Otsuka, M, Parker, QA, Peeters, E, Quint, BC, Quintana-Lacaci, G, Redman, M, Ruiter, AJ, Sabin, L, Sahai, R, Contreras, CS, Santander-García, M, Seitenzahl, I, Soker, N, Speck, AK, Stanghellini, L, Steffen, W, Toalá, JA, Ueta, T, Van de Steene, G, Van Winckel, H, Ventura, P, Villaver, E, Vlemmings, W, Walsh, JR, Wesson, R & Zijlstra, AA 2022, 'The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST', Nature Astronomy, vol. 6, no. 12, pp. 1421-1432. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

TY - JOUR

T1 - The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST

AU - De Marco, Orsola

AU - Akashi, Muhammad

AU - Akras, Stavros

AU - Alcolea, Javier

AU - Aleman, Isabel

AU - Amram, Philippe

AU - Balick, Bruce

AU - De Beck, Elvire

AU - Blackman, Eric G.

AU - Boffin, Henri M.J.

AU - Boumis, Panos

AU - Bublitz, Jesse

AU - Bucciarelli, Beatrice

AU - Bujarrabal, Valentin

AU - Cami, Jan

AU - Chornay, Nicholas

AU - Chu, You-Hua

AU - Corradi, Romano L. M.

AU - Frank, Adam

AU - García-Hernández, D. A.

AU - García-Rojas, Jorge

AU - García-Segura, Guillermo

AU - Gómez-Llanos, Veronica

AU - Gonçalves, Denise R.

AU - Guerrero, Martín A.

AU - Jones, David

AU - Karakas, Amanda I.

AU - Kastner, Joel H.

AU - Kwok, Sun

AU - Lykou, Foteini

AU - Manchado, Arturo

AU - Matsuura, Mikako

AU - McDonald, Iain

AU - Miszalski, Brent

AU - Mohamed, Shazrene S.

AU - Monreal-Ibero, Ana

AU - Monteiro, Hektor

AU - Montez Jr, Rodolfo

AU - Baez, Paula Moraga

AU - Morisset, Christophe

AU - Nordhaus, Jason

AU - Mendes de Oliveira, Claudia

AU - Osborn, Zara

AU - Otsuka, Masaaki

AU - Parker, Quentin A.

AU - Peeters, Els

AU - Quint, Bruno C.

AU - Quintana-Lacaci, Guillermo

AU - Redman, Matt

AU - Ruiter, Ashley J.

AU - Sabin, Laurence

AU - Sahai, Raghvendra

AU - Contreras, Carmen Sánchez

AU - Santander-García, Miguel

AU - Seitenzahl, Ivo

AU - Soker, Noam

AU - Speck, Angela K.

AU - Stanghellini, Letizia

AU - Steffen, Wolfgang

AU - Toalá, Jesús A.

AU - Ueta, Toshiya

AU - Van de Steene, Griet

AU - Van Winckel, Hans

AU - Ventura, Paolo

AU - Villaver, Eva

AU - Vlemmings, Wouter

AU - Walsh, Jeremy R.

AU - Wesson, Roger

AU - Zijlstra, Albert A.

N1 - Correction to: Nature Astronomy https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2, published online 8 December 2022.

PY - 2022/12

Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - Planetary nebulae—the ejected envelopes of red giant stars—provide us with a history of the last, mass-losing phases of 90% of stars initially more massive than the Sun. Here we analyse images of the planetary nebula NGC 3132 from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations. A structured, extended hydrogen halo surrounding an ionized central bubble is imprinted with spiral structures, probably shaped by a low-mass companion orbiting the central star at about 40–60 au. The images also reveal a mid-infrared excess at the central star, interpreted as a dusty disk, which is indicative of an interaction with another closer companion. Including the previously known A-type visual companion, the progenitor of the NGC 3132 planetary nebula must have been at least a stellar quartet. The JWST images allow us to generate a model of the illumination, ionization and hydrodynamics of the molecular halo, demonstrating the power of JWST to investigate complex stellar outflows. Furthermore, new measurements of the A-type visual companion allow us to derive the value for the mass of the progenitor of a central star with excellent precision: 2.86 ± 0.06 M⊙. These results serve as pathfinders for future JWST observations of planetary nebulae, providing unique insight into fundamental astrophysical processes including colliding winds and binary star interactions, with implications for supernovae and gravitational-wave systems.

AB - Planetary nebulae—the ejected envelopes of red giant stars—provide us with a history of the last, mass-losing phases of 90% of stars initially more massive than the Sun. Here we analyse images of the planetary nebula NGC 3132 from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations. A structured, extended hydrogen halo surrounding an ionized central bubble is imprinted with spiral structures, probably shaped by a low-mass companion orbiting the central star at about 40–60 au. The images also reveal a mid-infrared excess at the central star, interpreted as a dusty disk, which is indicative of an interaction with another closer companion. Including the previously known A-type visual companion, the progenitor of the NGC 3132 planetary nebula must have been at least a stellar quartet. The JWST images allow us to generate a model of the illumination, ionization and hydrodynamics of the molecular halo, demonstrating the power of JWST to investigate complex stellar outflows. Furthermore, new measurements of the A-type visual companion allow us to derive the value for the mass of the progenitor of a central star with excellent precision: 2.86 ± 0.06 M⊙. These results serve as pathfinders for future JWST observations of planetary nebulae, providing unique insight into fundamental astrophysical processes including colliding winds and binary star interactions, with implications for supernovae and gravitational-wave systems.

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UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

U2 - 10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

DO - 10.1038/s41550-022-01845-2

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85143587519

SN - 2397-3366

VL - 6

SP - 1421

EP - 1432

JO - Nature Astronomy

JF - Nature Astronomy

IS - 12

ER -

The messy death of a multiple star system and the resulting planetary nebula as observed by JWST

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