Sh 2-18

Also called

RCW 139

Coordinates: (0.1°, -0.8°)

[ Catalog | Explorer | SIMBAD ]

This small nebula is part of the Sh 2-15 to Sh 2-20 complex of HII regions located in the Sgr OB5 association in the Sagittarius arm. It lies next to RCW 140 (Sh 2-19).

No ionising stars are cited in the scientific literature but the nebula is believed to contain the infrared cluster [DB2000] 1 which may perhaps contain ionising stars.


Avedisova includes Sh 2-18 in the star formation region SFR 0.01-0.55, along with three masers and the massive young stellar object IRAS 17441-2910.

More details on the massive young stellar object IRAS 17441-2910.[1]

Dutra and Bica conclude that the infrared cluster [DB2000] 1 is embedded in RCW 139 (Sh 2-18).[2]

The RCW catalog explicitly identifies RCW 139 with Sh 1-14 = Sh 2-18 but gives the coordinates for RCW 139 as (0.1°, -0.3°), half a degree away from Sh 2-18. SIMBAD currently identifies RCW 139 with the emission line star 2MASS J17465744-2900419 which does indeed lie closer to the coordinates given in the RCW catalog. I've chosen to maintain the original RCW identification and use the coordinates for Sh 2-18. However, it may be that the RCW compilers were confused and were observing a star which they misidentified with the Sharpless nebula.

Notes

 1. ^ Kendall, T. R., de Wit, W. J., & Yun, J. L. (2003). "VLT/ISAAC H-band spectroscopy of embedded massive YSOs", Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 408, 313-322. [2003A&A...408..313K]

 2. ^ Dutra, C. M. & Bica, E. (2000). "New star clusters projected close to the Galactic Centre", Astronomy and Astrophysics, Vol. 359, L9-L12. [2000A&A...359L...9D]

Distance estimates

1500 pc [2003A&A...397..133R]

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Sh 2-18


Most of the sources used to create these nebula descriptions are listed in the notes section for each description. In some cases, for example the Avedisova, Humphreys and Reed catalogs, the source is used extensively and is not listed in the individual nebula descriptions. See this catalog overview for more information on the catalogs and the general sources used to create these descriptions and this introduction to HII regions on the general history of this area of astronomy.

This image was created using the POSS-II/UKSTU data of the Digitized Sky Survey and SuperCOSMOS using the process described here.

According to my correspondence with the Royal Observatory Edinburgh and the Space Telescope Science Institute, I am allowed to use the POSS-II/UKSTU data to create and display images for non-commercial purposes so long as I include this fine print for the SuperCOSMOS data:

Use of these images is courtesy of the UK Schmidt Telescope (copyright in which is owned by the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council of the UK and the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board) and the Southern Sky Survey as created by the SuperCOSMOS measuring machine and are reproduced here with permission from the Royal Observatory Edinburgh.

and this acknowledgement taken from the DSS site:

The Digitized Sky Surveys were produced at the Space Telescope Science Institute under U.S. Government grant NAG W-2166. The images of these surveys are based on photographic data obtained using the Oschin Schmidt Telescope on Palomar Mountain and the UK Schmidt Telescope. The plates were processed into the present compressed digital form with the permission of these institutions.

The Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS-II) was made by the California Institute of Technology with funds from the National Science Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the Sloan Foundation, the Samuel Oschin Foundation, and the Eastman Kodak Corporation.

The UK Schmidt Telescope was operated by the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, with funding from the UK Science and Engineering Research Council (later the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council), until 1988 June, and thereafter by the Anglo-Australian Observatory. The blue plates of the southern Sky Atlas and its Equatorial Extension (together known as the SERC-J), as well as the Equatorial Red (ER), and the Second Epoch [red] Survey (SES) were all taken with the UK Schmidt.

The "Second Epoch Survey" of the southern sky was made by the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO) with the UK Schmidt Telescope. Plates from this survey have been digitized and compressed by the ST ScI. The digitized images are copyright ? 1993-5 by the Anglo-Australian Observatory Board, and are distributed herein by agreement.

The "Equatorial Red Atlas" of the southern sky was made with the UK Schmidt Telescope. Plates from this survey have been digitized and compressed by the ST ScI. The digitized images are copyright ? 1992-5, jointly by the UK SERC/PPARC (Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, formerly Science and Engineering Research Council) and the Anglo-Australian Telescope Board, and are distributed herein by agreement.

The compressed files of the "Palomar Observatory - Space Telescope Science Institute Digital Sky Survey" of the northern sky, based on scans of the Second Palomar Sky Survey are copyright ? 1993-1995 by the California Institute of Technology and are distributed herein by agreement. The compressed files of the "Palomar Observatory - Space Telescope Science Institute Digital Sky Survey" of the northern sky, based on scans of the Second Palomar Sky Survey are copyright ? 1993-1995 by the California Institute of Technology and are distributed herein by agreement.