偏振光下的蛋状星云
(原标题: The Egg Nebula in Polarized Light)
2023-04-09
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蛋状星云的中心在哪里？蛋状星云中心的这颗恒星从一颗宇宙蛋状星云中诞生，它正在摆脱气体和尘埃的外壳，慢慢地将自己转变为一颗白矮星。蛋状星云是一个快速演化的前行星状星云，跨度约一光年。它位于天鹅座北部大约3000光年远的地方。厚厚的尘埃挡住了中心恒星的视线，而远处的尘埃壳反射了这颗恒星发出的光。在每个尘埃颗粒、中心恒星和观测者所定义的平面上振动的光被优先反射，造成一种被称为偏振的效应。测量蛋状星云的偏振光方向可以提供隐藏光源位置的线索。这张照片由哈勃望远镜的高级巡天相机于2002年拍摄，用人造的“复活节彩蛋”颜色渲染，以突出偏振的方向。
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Where is the center of the Egg Nebula? Emerging from a cosmic egg, the star in the center of the Egg Nebula is casting away shells of gas and dust as it slowly transforms itself into a white dwarf star. The Egg Nebula is a rapidly evolving pre- planetary nebula spanning about one light year. It lies some 3,000 light-years away toward the northern constellation Cygnus. Thick dust blocks the center star from view, while the dust shells farther out reflect light from this star. Light vibrating in the plane defined by each dust grain, the central star, and the observer is preferentially reflected, causing an effect known as polarization. Measuring the orientation of the polarized light for the Egg Nebula gives clues to location of the hidden source. Taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys in 2002, this image is rendered in artificial "Easter-Egg" colors coded to highlight the orientation of polarization.