Sh 2-106 Explained

Sh 2-106
Type:H II region
Subtype:bipolar nebula
Epoch:J2000.0
Ra:[1]
Dist Ly:2,000
Dist Pc:600
Size V:3′ × 3′
Constellation:Cygnus
Names:S106

Sh 2-106,[2] also known as the Celestial Snow Angel, is an emission nebula and a star formation region in the constellation Cygnus. It is a H II region estimated to be around 2,000 ly (600 pc) from Earth, in an isolated area of the Milky Way

In the center of the nebula is a young and massive star that emits jets of hot gas from its poles, forming the bipolar structure. Dust surrounding the star is also ionized by the star. The nebula spans about 2 light-years across.[3]

Central star

The central star, a source of infrared radiation usually referred to as S106 IR or S106 IRS 4. [4] It is a massive star, approximately 15 solar masses. Two jets of matter streaming from its poles heat surrounding matter to a temperature of around 10,000 °C. Dust that is not ionized by the star's jets reflect light from the star. With an estimated surface temperature of 37,000K, it is classified as a type O8 star. It loses around 10−6

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per year in solar winds, ejecting material at around 100 km/s.[5]

Studies of images has revealed that the star-forming region has also created hundreds of low-mass brown dwarf stars and protostars.[6]

Notes and References

  1. SH 2-106 . 2013-01-13.
  2. Web site: Hubble Serves Up a Holiday Snow Angel . 6 Dec 2011 . NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) . 13 Jan 2013 .
  3. Web site: Young star rebels against its parent cloud . 15 Dec 2011 . 13 Jan 2013.
  4. Star Forming Region S106 . 7 Nov 2011 . 13 Jan 2013.
  5. Radio images of the bipolar H II region S106 . Bally . J. . Snell . R.L. . Predmore . R. . 1 Sep 1983 . 154–162 . 272 . Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 . 1983ApJ...272..154B . 10.1086/161272 . 0004-637X.
  6. Very Low Luminosity Young Cluster and the Luminosity and Mass Functions in S106 . Yumiko . Oasa . Motohide . Tamura . Nakajima . Yasushi . Itoh . Itoh . Maihara . Toshinori . Iwamuro . Fumihiko . Motohara . Kentaro . Hayashi . Saeko S.. Saeko Hayashi . Hayashi . Masahiko . Mar 2006 . The Astronomical Journal. 965–978 . 10.1086/500086 . 2006AJ....131.1608O . 131 . 3. 9 . Kaifu . Norio . free .