WR 16 (HD 86161) is a Wolf-Rayet star located in the constellation Carina. It is a massive, luminous, and evolved star in a late stage of evolution, surrounded by a complex nebula formed by its strong stellar winds and past mass ejections. WR 16 is classified as a runaway star due to its high velocity through the interstellar medium.[4]
WR 16 is classified as a WN8h star,[4] indicating a hydrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star dominated by nitrogen emission lines.[11] Its effective temperature of over 40,000K[8] is hotter than the Sun's typical value of 5,772K,[12] but cooler than many other WR stars.[8]
Motion measurements from the Gaia satellite show that WR 16 moves at about 61km/s relative to its local interstellar medium, qualifying it as a runaway star. This rapid motion influences the shape of its surrounding nebula.[4]
Nebular structure
WR 16 is surrounded by a bubble-like nebula formed by material ejected in previous evolutionary stages and shaped by its strong stellar winds. Observations reveal a round, bubble-shaped nebula visible in optical and infrared wavelengths. Multiple rings surround the star, likely from episodic mass ejections during its earlier Luminous Blue Variable (LBV) phase. Ionized hydrogen (H II regions) and nitrogen-enriched gas are present, indicating processed stellar material.[4]
Bow shock
Due to its high velocity, WR 16 creates a bow shock—a curved front where its stellar wind collides with the interstellar medium, compressing gas and dust. Radio and infrared imaging confirms the bow shock’s presence.[13][4]
↑ Zacharias, N.; Finch, C. T.; Girard, T. M.; Henden, A.; Bartlett, J. L.; Monet, D. G.; Zacharias, M. I. (2012). "VizieR Online Data Catalog: UCAC4 Catalogue (Zacharias+, 2012)". Vizier Online Data Catalog. Bibcode:2012yCat.1322....0Z.
↑ Samus', N. N.; Kazarovets, E. V.; Durlevich, O. V.; Kireeva, N. N.; Pastukhova, E. N. (2017). "General catalogue of variable stars: Version GCVS 5.1". Astronomy Reports. 61 (1): 80. Bibcode:2017ARep...61...80S. doi:10.1134/S1063772917010085.
1 2 "V0396 Car". The International Variable Star Index. AAVSO. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Hamann, W. -R.; Gräfener, G.; Liermann, A.; Hainich, R.; Sander, A. A. C.; Shenar, T.; Ramachandran, V.; Todt, H.; Oskinova, L. M. (2019). "The Galactic WN stars revisited. Impact of Gaia distances on fundamental stellar parameters". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 625. arXiv:1904.04687. Bibcode:2019A&A...625A..57H. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201834850.
↑ Niemela, V.; Gamen, R.; Morrell, N. (2001). "Long term optical spectroscopy of HD 86161 (WR 16)". Eta Carinae and Other Mysterious Stars: The Hidden Opportunities of Emission Spectroscopy. 242: 199. Bibcode:2001ASPC..242..199N.
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