Waiting in the wings: Reflected X-ray emission from the Homunculus nebula

M. F. Corcoran; K. Hamaguchi; T. Gull; K. Davidson; R. Petre; D. J. Hillier; N. Smith; A. Damineli; J. A. Morse; N. R. Walborn; E. Verner; N. Collins; S. White; J. M. Pittard; K. Weis; D. Bomans; Y. Butt

doi:10.1086/423024

Waiting in the wings: Reflected X-ray emission from the Homunculus nebula

M. F. Corcoran, K. Hamaguchi, T. Gull, K. Davidson, R. Petre, D. J. Hillier, N. Smith, A. Damineli, J. A. Morse, N. R. Walborn, E. Verner, N. Collins, S. White, J. M. Pittard, K. Weis, D. Bomans, Y. Butt

Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics

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Abstract

We report the first detection of X-ray emission associated with the Homunculus nebula that surrounds the supermassive star η Car. The emission is characterized by a temperature in excess of 100 MK and is consistent with scattering of the time-delayed X-ray flux associated with the star. The nebular emission is bright in the northwestern lobe and near the central regions of the Homunculus, and fainter in the southeastern lobe. We also report the detection of an unusually broad Fe K fluorescent line, which may indicate fluorescent scattering off the wind of a companion star or some other high-velocity outflow. The X-ray Homunculus is the nearest member of the small class of Galactic X-ray reflection nebulae, and the only one in which both the emitting and reflecting sources are distinguishable.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	381-386
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	613
Issue number	1 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/423024
State	Published - Sep 20 2004

Keywords

Circumstellar matter
ISM: individual (Homunculus nebula)
Reflection nebulae
Stars: individual (η Carinae)
X-rays: stars

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10.1086/423024

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Corcoran, M. F., Hamaguchi, K., Gull, T., Davidson, K., Petre, R., Hillier, D. J., Smith, N., Damineli, A., Morse, J. A., Walborn, N. R., Verner, E., Collins, N., White, S., Pittard, J. M., Weis, K., Bomans, D., & Butt, Y. (2004). Waiting in the wings: Reflected X-ray emission from the Homunculus nebula. Astrophysical Journal, 613(1 I), 381-386. https://doi.org/10.1086/423024

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title = "Waiting in the wings: Reflected X-ray emission from the Homunculus nebula",

abstract = "We report the first detection of X-ray emission associated with the Homunculus nebula that surrounds the supermassive star η Car. The emission is characterized by a temperature in excess of 100 MK and is consistent with scattering of the time-delayed X-ray flux associated with the star. The nebular emission is bright in the northwestern lobe and near the central regions of the Homunculus, and fainter in the southeastern lobe. We also report the detection of an unusually broad Fe K fluorescent line, which may indicate fluorescent scattering off the wind of a companion star or some other high-velocity outflow. The X-ray Homunculus is the nearest member of the small class of Galactic X-ray reflection nebulae, and the only one in which both the emitting and reflecting sources are distinguishable.",

keywords = "Circumstellar matter, ISM: individual (Homunculus nebula), Reflection nebulae, Stars: individual (η Carinae), X-rays: stars",

author = "Corcoran, {M. F.} and K. Hamaguchi and T. Gull and K. Davidson and R. Petre and Hillier, {D. J.} and N. Smith and A. Damineli and Morse, {J. A.} and Walborn, {N. R.} and E. Verner and N. Collins and S. White and Pittard, {J. M.} and K. Weis and D. Bomans and Y. Butt",

year = "2004",

month = sep,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1086/423024",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "613",

pages = "381--386",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Waiting in the wings

T2 - Reflected X-ray emission from the Homunculus nebula

AU - Corcoran, M. F.

AU - Hamaguchi, K.

AU - Gull, T.

AU - Davidson, K.

AU - Petre, R.

AU - Hillier, D. J.

AU - Smith, N.

AU - Damineli, A.

AU - Morse, J. A.

AU - Walborn, N. R.

AU - Verner, E.

AU - Collins, N.

AU - White, S.

AU - Pittard, J. M.

AU - Weis, K.

AU - Bomans, D.

AU - Butt, Y.

PY - 2004/9/20

Y1 - 2004/9/20

N2 - We report the first detection of X-ray emission associated with the Homunculus nebula that surrounds the supermassive star η Car. The emission is characterized by a temperature in excess of 100 MK and is consistent with scattering of the time-delayed X-ray flux associated with the star. The nebular emission is bright in the northwestern lobe and near the central regions of the Homunculus, and fainter in the southeastern lobe. We also report the detection of an unusually broad Fe K fluorescent line, which may indicate fluorescent scattering off the wind of a companion star or some other high-velocity outflow. The X-ray Homunculus is the nearest member of the small class of Galactic X-ray reflection nebulae, and the only one in which both the emitting and reflecting sources are distinguishable.

AB - We report the first detection of X-ray emission associated with the Homunculus nebula that surrounds the supermassive star η Car. The emission is characterized by a temperature in excess of 100 MK and is consistent with scattering of the time-delayed X-ray flux associated with the star. The nebular emission is bright in the northwestern lobe and near the central regions of the Homunculus, and fainter in the southeastern lobe. We also report the detection of an unusually broad Fe K fluorescent line, which may indicate fluorescent scattering off the wind of a companion star or some other high-velocity outflow. The X-ray Homunculus is the nearest member of the small class of Galactic X-ray reflection nebulae, and the only one in which both the emitting and reflecting sources are distinguishable.

KW - Circumstellar matter

KW - ISM: individual (Homunculus nebula)

KW - Reflection nebulae

KW - Stars: individual (η Carinae)

KW - X-rays: stars

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DO - 10.1086/423024

M3 - Article

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SN - 0004-637X

VL - 613

SP - 381

EP - 386

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 I

ER -

Waiting in the wings: Reflected X-ray emission from the Homunculus nebula

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