View source for NGC 2736

{{short description|Supernova remnant in the constellation Vela}}
{{ Planetary nebula |
| image = [[Image:Pencil hst big.jpg|250px| ]]
| name = [[New General Catalogue|NGC]] 2736
| caption = [[Hubble Space Telescope]] image of NGC 2736
| type = [[Supernova Remnant]]
| epoch = [[J2000]]
| ra = {{RA|9|0|17}}<ref name="ned">{{cite web
  | title=NASA/IPAC EXTRAGALACTIC DATABASE
  | work=Results for NGC 2736
  | url=http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu
  | access-date=2007-04-03}}</ref>
| dec = {{DEC|-45|54|57}}<ref name="ned" />
| dist_ly = 815
| appmag_v = +12.0?
| size_v = 30'x7'
| constellation = [[Vela (constellation)|Vela]]<ref name="her">{{cite web
  | title=Hubble Heritage Site
  | work=Results for NGC 2736
  | url=http://heritage.stsci.edu/2003/16/fast_facts.html
  | access-date=2007-04-03}}</ref>
| radius_ly = ~5.0
| absmag_v =
| notes =
| names = NGC 2736, Pencil Nebula
}}

'''NGC 2736''' (also known as the '''Pencil Nebula''') is a small part of the [[Vela Supernova Remnant]], located near the [[Vela Pulsar]] in the [[constellation]] [[Vela (constellation)|Vela]].  The nebula's linear appearance triggered its popular name. It resides about 815 light-years (250 parsecs) away from the [[Solar System]].  It is thought to be formed from part of the shock wave of the larger Vela Supernova Remnant.  The Pencil [[Nebula]] is moving at roughly {{convert|644000|km/h|mph|sigfig=3|abbr=off}}

== History ==
[[File:The Pencil Nebula, a strangely shaped leftover from a vast explosion.jpg|thumb|left|NGC 2736 is a small part of the huge [[Vela supernova remnant]] left over after a supernova explosion that took place about 11 000 years ago.]]
On 1 March 1835, [[John Herschel]] discovered this object at the [[Cape of Good Hope]] and described it as "eeF, L, vvmE; an extraordinary long narrow ray of excessively feeble light; position 19 ±. At least 20' long, extending much beyond the limits of the field...". This agrees perfectly with the ESO- Uppsala listing N2736 = E260-N14, a nebula with dimensions 30'x7', position angle of 20 and notes "Luminous filament". {{interlanguage link|Harold Corwin|fr|Harold Glenn Corwin|ru|Корвин, Гарольд Гленн}} adds that on the ESO IIIa-F film this nebula is the brightest patch of a huge supernova remnant (Gum Nebula) whose delicate whisps cover the field. A relatively bright star is immersed in N2736 (mentioned by Herschel).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ngcicproject.observers.org/papers/rngc5.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/19991012164140/http://www.ngcic.org/papers/rngc5.htm|url-status=live|archive-date=1999-10-12|title=CORRECTIONS TO THE RNGC:5|author=Steve Gottlieb|author-link=Steve Gottlieb (amateur astronomer)|access-date=2025-03-19}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
{{clear left}}
==See also==
* [[List of photographs considered the most important]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat}}
* [http://www.space.com/17558-the-pencil-nebula.html Space.com article about NGC 2736]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/pencil_nebula.html NASA feature ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712064036/http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/starsgalaxies/pencil_nebula.html |date=2010-07-12 }}

{{RCW}}
{{ngc30}}
{{Vela (constellation)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:NGC 2736}}
[[Category:Gum Nebula]]
[[Category:NGC objects|2736]]
[[Category:Vela (constellation)]]


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