Corona Australis Nebula

Corona Australis nebula
Observational Data
Designation	NGC 6729
Right ascension	31h 01m 46.1s[1]
Declination	-36° 57′ 40″[1]
Constellation	Corona Australis
Type of object	Reflection nebula
Dimensions	1°
Astrometry
Distance from Earth	420 ly[2]

The Corona Australis nebula is a reflection nebula in the constellation of Corona Australis.^[3] The nebula is designated NGC 6729 in the New General Catalogue and is associated with two nearby nebulae, NGC 6726 and NGC 6727. Discovered in 1861 by Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt in Athens, the nebula is known to contain several variable stars and Herbig-Haro objects.^[4][5]

Properties and Structure[edit]

The nebula is situated some 420 light years from Earth.^[4] It has an apparent angular size of about 1 degree (12 times larger that a full Moon) or 9 light years across. The nebula contains gas as well as several clusters of stars, one example being the globular cluster NGC 6541.^[6] There is a large dust lane found in the vicinity of the nebula.

The nebula contains many Herbig–Haro objects.^[7] The material ejected from stars within the nebula slams into the gas and dust that surrounds them. Travelling at speeds up to 1,000,000 kilometres per hour, the resulting shockwaves cause the gas to glow. This creates strange arcs and streaks of glowing gas and these are Herbig–Haro objects.

References[edit]