Ngc2440 observations

[Marko]

In looking at Ngc2440 observations of mine I pulled up a few images and the hubble image is amazing.

Due to it's shape which is similar to Ngc 2371 I am curious if anyone here has found info or observations suggesting that this PN has wings much like Ngc2371 and others in this 'class'. Here is my best of 3 logged observations of this PN

NGC 2440 Type: Plan Position: 07 41 55.4 -18 12 31 Con: Pup
Date: 02/16/10 Time: - Site: WSprDSR
Scope: 18SmF3.7Pc Eyepiece: 5mmNag Power: 389
NELM: 6.5 SQM: 21.50 Seeing: 4/5 Transparency: 3/5
Description: '1' len with OIII filter. 45 asec len No filter. 2EL 70dPA
with no filter. Bright in central section. Broken central core
brightness, brighter on N than S. Wonder if this is a break
around central star- Very bright in central section but fainter
extending for the Elongated size. OIII filter with averted shows
1' len. Strange central section like mini-arms going N and
South. Seems to be some dark areas very near the core offset
near edges.

I'll have to revisit it soon as it is on it's way out for the season. A very interesting object with some details yet to be pulled out in my 18" perhaps.

[Uwe Glahn]

NGC 2440 is one of my favorite NGC-PN altogether. Unfortunately the PN lies to low (-18°DEC) for a typical German location to show all the detail what is possible to see.

You ask for the "wings". And yes, I once could detect the SW wing from my home location at 48°N with my old 16" and 450x (see the sketch below).

Last time I visited the PN from Morocco (30°N) and 16" aperture and the easy wings were filled with faint nebula. The best drawing and illustration what could be possible is from the French astronomer Bertrand Laville with 25" aperture.

16", 450x, [OIII], Seeing III, NELM 6m7
NGC2440.jpg

[Steve Gottlieb]

Here's my last observation describing the wings and some of the interior structure with a well-known 48" scope...

48" (2/20/12): remarkable detail in this explosive appearing planetary at 488x and 814x. The very high surface brightness central region is irregularly shaped with a very ragged periphery, giving the impression that the central region is erupting or bursting. Within the east side of the central portion are two intense condensations or knots, oriented ~N-S, with the southern knot brighter. A third, smaller elongated knot follows and sits close to the center. The main body is elongated nearly 2:1 SW-NE, roughly 1.1'x0.6', but with an irregular outline. The southwest end of the planetary dims and protrudes out, creating an cup-shaped hollow with a very small brighter knot at its southwest tip. A prominent partial loop or outer wing is attached on the northwest edge of the central section, like a spiral arm, and swings clockwise to the west and slightly south. The eastern portion of the planetary consists of a large complete, irregular loop (darker in the interior), giving the strong appearance of being blown out from the central region.