Formation. Though the exact causes of this nebular structure are not known, it is often thought to imply the presence of a binary central star with a period of a few days to a few years. As one of the two stars expelled its outer layers, the other disrupted the outflow of material to form the bipolar shape.
- How is a planetary nebula formed?
- What happens in the planetary nebula stage?
- What causes a planetary nebula quizlet?
- What causes the appearance of planetary nebulae?
- What elements are formed in a planetary nebula?
- How is a planetary nebula different from a nebula?
- What is a planetary nebula simple definition?
- What is a planetary nebula quizlet?
- What type of star will form a planetary nebula?
How is a planetary nebula formed?
When a star like our Sun dies, it doesn't explode into a supernova or collapse into a black hole. Instead, it gently sheds its outer layers, which form a beautiful cloud called a “planetary nebula”, while the dying star's core becomes a white dwarf.
What happens in the planetary nebula stage?
The planetary nebula phase is a final stage in a low-mass star's life. During this phase, the star sheds its outer layers. This creates an expanding, glowing shell of very hot gas. Despite the name, they have nothing to do with planets.
What causes a planetary nebula quizlet?
A planetary nebula is formed when a red giant ejects its outer atmosphere. The beautiful images show that a planetary nebula is a stage in the evolution of a low mass star. They last tens of thousands of years. A white dwarf is the carbon core of a red giant that has ejected its photosphere as a planetary nebula.
What causes the appearance of planetary nebulae?
The venting of atmosphere continues unabated into interstellar space, but when the outer surface of the exposed core reaches temperatures exceeding about 30,000 K, there are enough emitted ultraviolet photons to ionize the ejected atmosphere, causing the gas to shine as a planetary nebula.
What elements are formed in a planetary nebula?
Planetary nebula Elements such as helium, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, neon and smaller amounts of heavier elements are present. Planetary nebulae play an important part in the chemical evolution of the galaxy, allowing these elements to be returned to the interstellar medium.
How is a planetary nebula different from a nebula?
The nebula is illuminated by a central star, which sometimes is too faint to be seen. Although initially grouped with galaxies and star clusters under the class of “nebulae”, we now know that galaxies and star clusters are made up of stars, whereas planetary nebulae are gaseous.
What is a planetary nebula simple definition?
Definition of planetary nebula : a usually compact luminous ring-shaped nebula that is composed of matter which has been ejected from a hot star at its center.
What is a planetary nebula quizlet?
A planetary nebula is the ejected shell of an evolved giant star. It is the shape of a spherical shell and is composed of relatively cool thing gas, which was once the outer part of the star. A planetary nebula is associated with the death of a low mass star. You just studied 15 terms!
What type of star will form a planetary nebula?
white dwarf Smaller stars like our sun end their lives by ejecting their outer layers of gas into space over the course of about 10,000 years, leaving behind the star's hot core — a white dwarf. Radiation from the white dwarf causes the gas to glow, creating a unique and beautiful formation called a planetary nebula.