A Search for Cool Companions of Planetary Nebula Nuclei [chapter]

A. F. Bentley
1989 Planetary Nebulae  
At present only a small number of planetary nebulae are known to possess binary nuclei. Since approximately 2/3 of main sequence stars are members of binary or multiple star systems, one might expect a large frac- tion of PN central stars to have gravitationally bound companions. Additionally, late-type stars are more numerous, and due to their low luminosities would be difficult to detect by visual observational methods at distances where PN are typically found (^1 kpc). (Only 5 known PN are
more » ... ought to be nearer than 0.5 kpc). It is thus possible, and in our view probable, that a significant number of PN nuclei possess cool companions, hitherto undetected.
doi:10.1007/978-94-009-0865-9_118 fatcat:snldod6xljf5tcnmxxjmwfihvy