Confirmation and characterization of Galactic planetary nebulae: insights from a spectroscopic study

TL;DR

This spectroscopic study verifies the true nature of 25 candidate planetary nebulae, confirming 8 as genuine PNe, analyzing their physical properties, and providing elemental abundances and size estimates.

Contribution

The paper provides the first spectroscopic confirmation and detailed characterization of previously cataloged candidate planetary nebulae, clarifying their nature and properties.

Findings

Confirmed 8 objects as true planetary nebulae.

Derived elemental abundances consistent with Galactic PNe.

Reported sizes based on Hα and [O III] emissions.

Abstract

We present a spectroscopic investigation of 25 objects previously reported as possible Planetary Nebulae (PNe) in recent catalogs to obtain their physical properties and to establish their true nature. We found 11 objects showing intense emission lines, 11 where it was not possible to measure $\mathrm{H{\beta}}$, and three where no lines are present. We have used diagnostic diagrams to confirm the true PN nature for eight objects. We obtained elemental abundances for three objects whose values are in agreement with the PNe mean values for our Galaxy. Four objects show [N II] $\lambda$6583 more intense than $\mathrm{H{\alpha}}$, and for two of them, this can be explained by the presence of shocks in the gas. Finally, we report angular sizes based on $\mathrm{H{\alpha}}$ and [O III] $\lambda$5007 emission.