NGC 2440 Nucleus: The Hottest Star?
Explanation:
In the center of the
above photograph lies a
star with one of the hottest surface
temperatures yet confirmed. This bright
white dwarf star's surface has been measured at
greater than 200,000 degrees Celsius - more than 30 times hotter than that
of our own
Sun. The
white dwarf's extreme heat makes it glow
extraordinarily bright: intrinsically more than 250 times brighter than the
Sun. The star is at the center of the
planetary nebula titled NGC 2440,
which lies inside our
Milky Way Galaxy. The above computer sharpened
image was taken by the
Hubble Space Telescope.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
