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Science 1 January 1982:
Vol. 215. no. 4528, pp. 61 - 64
DOI: 10.1126/science.215.4528.61
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Articles

High-Resolution X-ray Observations of the Orion Nebula

W. H.-M. KU 1, G. RIGHINI-COHEN 2, and M. SIMON 2

1 Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Departments of Physics and Astronomy, Columbia University, New York 10027
2 Astronomy Program, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794

Observations of the Trapezium region in the Orion Nebula obtained with the high-resolution x-ray imaging instrument on board the Einstein Observatory reveal at least 58 sources of x-ray emission. All but two of the sources can be identified with visible stars. The strongest x-ray source is the star THgr1C, which excites the emission nebula. Its x-ray luminosity is 6 x 1032 ergs per second. The rest of the x-ray sources may be identified with stars of all spectral types. Strong x-ray emission is not observed from members of the infrared cluster embedded within the Orion molecular cloud.

Submitted on June 4, 1981
Revised on September 17, 1981

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