Rodolfo Montez Jr.
(a.k.a RUDY!)
University of Texas at Austin
We present H-alpha+[NII] images and long-slit, high resolution echelle spectra in the H-alpha and [OIII]500.7nm regions of Sa2-237, a possible planetary nebula. The image shows a bipolar nebula of about 34'' extent, with a narrow waist. The long slit spectra were taken over the long axis of the nebula, and show a distinct ``eight'' shaped pattern and a maximum projected outflow velocity of 211 km/s, both typical of expanding bipolar planetary nebulae. By model fitting the shape and spectrum of the nebula simultaneously, we derive the inclination of the long axis to be 70° and the maximum space velocity of expansion to be 308 km/s. We use the IRAS fluxes, the radio flux, the energy distribution, and the projected size of Sa2-237 to estimate it's distance to be 2.1kpc. At this distance Sa2-237 has a luminosity of 340 Lsun, a size of 0.37pc, and assuming constant expansion velocity a nebular age of 624 years.
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