A wealth of new planetary nebulae from the IPHAS survey

Abstract

Abstract.We report on the current status of the search for planetary nebulae (PNe) in the IPHAS survey, the 1800 square degree H-alpha survey of the Northern Galactic Plane carried out at La Palma Observatory. The first major installment of the "IPHAS Catalogue of Extended Nebulae" is presented. This includes a complete census of emission-line nebulae in 320 square degrees toward the inner regions of the Galaxy. In this area, more than 450 emission nebulae have been catalogued including 100 known PNe, and 155 new IPHAS candidate PNe.A vigorous programme of spectroscopic confirmation of IPHAS candidate PNe over the entire survey area is underway using a number of telescopes worldwide. So far, around one hundred new PNe over the whole IPHAS area have been spectroscopically confirmed. Their main properties, some outstanding examples, as well as the relevance of the IPHAS survey to determine the total PN population in the Galactic disc and its chemical gradient is discussed.