Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We report the detection of a remarkable shell around the red hypergiant VY CMa using data from the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx). The shell, which in projection on the plane of the sky appears as a ring, is almost circular in appearance. It has an external diameter of $\sim14'$ to $15'$, and is seen most clearly in the SPHEREx 7827A spectro-photometric image. Filaments, radially aligned with VY CMa, are seen to cut across the shell in several places. We discuss the possibility that the shell is matter swept out from the neighboring star forming region Sh 2-310, by the wind from VY CMa. Resonant atomic scattering, a light echo, or Extended Red Emission are explored as the source of the observed SPHEREx emission. However, no interpretation is without difficulty and further observations are most desirable.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Institutions: Physical Research Laboratory, Keele University, Aarhus University, Nordic Optical Telescope, Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, NSF NOIRLab, International Gemini Observatory, National Institute for Astrophysics, Tartu Observatory, Delft University of Technology, Arizona State University
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7213510512