Minkowski 1-2

[Robin]

Hi folks,

Has anyone of you ever observed the planetary nebula Minkowski 1-2 (PNG 133.1-08.6 or PK 133-08.1) in Perseus, which was close to comet C/2014 Q2 Lovejoy a few days ago?

There is some contradictory information about this object on the internet. According to the PNG and PK catalogs, it is 14.9 mag with 18 arc seconds diameter and has a 13.4 mag central star. According to the book "The Physics and Dynamics of Planetary Nebulae" by Grigor Gurdzadyan (page 330, can be accessed via Google Books) its diameter is only 0.5 arc seconds and it is the densest known planetary nebula.

I tried to observe this nebula with my 12-inch Dobsonian at 275x magnification. Without O-III filter I saw a stellar object at the right location. With O-III filter the stellar object was fainter, but after a while I suspected some nebulosity around it. I didn't see such nebulosity around other field stars of similar brightness. Now I wonder, whether I saw the central star (dimmed by the filter) and then the nebula itself, or I was fooled by some stray light.

Right now, I would regard this observation as doubtful, until someone can convince me that this was indeed the nebula. :-)

Clear skies,

Robin

[Steve Gottlieb]

As far as a I understand, M 1-2 is not considered a true planetary nebula, but a symbiotic star (V471 Per). These are interacting binaries with an emission-line spectrum (perhaps others can fill in the details) that mimic a planetary. In some cases there is also an associated nebula through mass loss in the interaction.

In any case, I only have this observation from 29 years ago and I can't confirm a nebula. I was using the photo in the Perek-Kohoutek catalogue to identify the object.

17.5" (8/31/86): at the position shown on the P-K photo is a mag 13.5 "star" which does not respond to OIII, UHC or H-Beta filters. There was no sign of nebulosity.

[Jim Chandler]

That certainly agrees with my log note from 2013:
"Stellar. No response to UHC or O-III. In a distinctive asterism, thus easily located."

[Robin]

Hi Steve and Jim,

Thank you very much for your replies. So I definitely did not see a planetary nebula there. Nevertheless, it seems to be more interesting than a regular star from the astrophysics standpoint.

Clear skies

Robin