[vsnet-chat 3977] Re: [CCD-astrometry-photometry] Re: QX Pup

[aah@nofs.navy.mil]

I retract some of my comments regarding the observation by
Moran Nachshony and Givatayim Observatory.  Once I heard that
a Mira was located at the same coordinates, I made an assumption
that the unfiltered response was the cause of the discrepant
observation.  However, it turns out that QX Pup is the central
star of a well-studied bipolar nebula, and is so heavily obscured that
it has only been seen in the infrared (JHK, for example).  See
 Optical long-slit spectroscopy and imaging of OH 231.8+4.2. 
 SANCHEZ CONTRERAS C., BUJARRABAL V., MIRANDA L.F., FERNANDEZ-FIGUEROA M.J. 
 2000 A&A 355,1103
for example.  The nebulae is known by several alternative names:
OH 231.8+4.2  (galactic coordinates)
OH 0739-14    (B1950 coordinates)
CALABASH NEBULA 
ROTTEN EGG NEBULA

There can't be many cases of a GCVS designated 'star' that is
not optically visible!  Another interesting paper is
 Direct Detection of the Mira at the Heart of OH 231.8+4.2
 Kastner, Joel H.; Weintraub, David A.; Merrill, K. M.; Gatley, Ian
 The Astronomical Journal, Volume 116, Issue 3, pp. 1412-1418

There are two bright lobes oriented NE and SW, and my guess
is that Nachshony imaged the SW lobe, but the Web image does not
go very deep and the extended emission is just barely visible.
It is possible that the LPV is emerging from its dust shell,
so deeper filtered imagery with better pixelization might be
useful to check on this object.
Arne

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