NGC 6072

NGC 6072 is a planetary nebula in the southern constellation of Scorpius. It has a dynamical age of 10⁴ years, and was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on 7 June 1837.^[5][6]

NGC 6072

Emission nebula
Planetary nebula
NGC 6072 imaged by NIRCam on the James Webb Space Telescope
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension	16h 12m 58.363s[1]
Declination	−36° 13′ 47.40″[1]
Distance	3,060 ly (939 pc)[1] 3,320 ly (1,017 pc)[2] ly
Apparent magnitude (V)	14[3]
Apparent dimensions (V)	70″[2]
Constellation	Scorpius
Designations	PN Sa 2-134, SCM 107, ESO 389-PN 015, IRAS F16097-3606, 2MASX J16125713-3613263[4]
See also: Lists of nebulae

NGC 6072 has a circumstellar envelope which is likely to be rich in carbon as it has very strong CN (cyanide) spectral lines. CN spectral lines are generally not detected in oxygen rich AGB (asymptotic giant branch) circumstellar envelopes. NGC 6072 also shows H₂ (hydrogen) emission and intense CO (carbon monoxide) emission which has been mapped displaying bipolarity and some gas at high velocity. The evolution of this planetary nebulae is likely to be dominated by photodissociation and ion/radical molecular reactions. Shock chemistry is also likely to be important.

An analysis of Gaia data suggests that the central star is a binary system.^[7]

Image gallery

• 
  NGC 6072 imaged by MIRI on the James Webb Space Telescope
• 
  A Spitzer Space Telescope image of NGC 6072

See also

• List of NGC objects (6001–7000)