The Water Lily Nebula, in the southern constellation of Ara, is a pre-planetary nebula also known as IRAS 16594-4656, in the process of developing to a planetary nebula. It was discovered by Bruce Hrivnak and Sun Kwok in 1999.[3] The Water Lily is one of the pre-planetary nebulae containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organic hydrocarbons otherwise constituting the basis for life.

Water Lily Nebula
Reflection nebula
Protoplanetary nebula
HST image of the Watery Lily Nebula by Sun Kwok, Bruce Hrivnak, and Kate Su
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension17h 03m 10.08s[1]
Declination−47° 00′ 27.7″[1]
ConstellationAra
DesignationsIRAS 16594-4656, 2MASS J17031007-4700277, PN G340.3-03.2[2]
See also: Lists of nebulae

References

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  1. ^ a b Cutri, Roc M.; Skrutskie, Michael F.; Van Dyk, Schuyler D.; Beichman, Charles A.; Carpenter, John M.; Chester, Thomas; Cambresy, Laurent; Evans, Tracey E.; Fowler, John W.; Gizis, John E.; Howard, Elizabeth V.; Huchra, John P.; Jarrett, Thomas H.; Kopan, Eugene L.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Light, Robert M.; Marsh, Kenneth A.; McCallon, Howard L.; Schneider, Stephen E.; Stiening, Rae; Sykes, Matthew J.; Weinberg, Martin D.; Wheaton, William A.; Wheelock, Sherry L.; Zacarias, N. (2003). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: 2MASS All-Sky Catalog of Point Sources (Cutri+ 2003)". CDS/ADC Collection of Electronic Catalogues. 2246: II/246. Bibcode:2003yCat.2246....0C.
  2. ^ "NAME Water Lily Nebula". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg.
  3. ^ Hrivnak, B.J.; Kwok, Sun; Su, Kate Y.L. (October 1999). "The discovery of two new bipolar proto-planetary nebulae: IRAS 16574-4656 and IRAS 17245-3951". Astrophysical Journal. 524: 849–856.