The very weak planetary nebula Jones-Emberson 1 is resumed with a large amateur telescope. Credit: J.-P. Metsavinio
Takeaway Keyway:
- Jones-Emberson 1 is a large and weak planetary nebula.
- The “Nebula for headphones” is nicknamed due to its shape.
- Located 1600 light years away, it is an object difficult to observe.
- Its central star is very dim.
The sky is full of interesting and unusual planetary nebulae, which take a look forward to the final state of our star and our solar system. Some of the weakest and most unusual planetaries have been discovered a long time after the NGC and IC catalogs, and therefore bring strange designations. This is the case of a weak planetary nebula in Lynx, Jones-Emberson 1, which shines at about 14th magnitude and crosses a huge 6 ‘.
The nebulae so large and very weak often show distinctive forms, and this is the case of this object. The headphones nebula has been nicknamed due to its similarity with that useful object, at least when you are quite private.
This strange object was discovered by the astronomers Rebecca Jones and Richard Emberson in 1939. It is rather remarkable that such an object has not been discovered for so long!
Jones-Emberson 1 is located at a distance of 1,600 light years and has a rather weak central star, which shines alike at the magnitude 16.8.
The unique shape of the nebula has two important lobes of brighter material around the perimeter of the shell, which gives rise to the playful nickname.
This object is a rather demanding visual beam and a large challenge object for the courtyard photographers.
