What specific element is responsible for the common greenish glow in nebulae?
Answer
Doubly ionized oxygen atoms.
The distinct colors observed across various planetary nebulae directly correlate with the chemical elements present in the ejected gas cloud and how they are excited by the central star's radiation. Specifically, the characteristic greenish hue frequently seen in observations of these nebulae is attributed to the emission spectrum produced by oxygen atoms that have lost two electrons, meaning they are doubly ionized. This specific spectral line serves as a useful marker for mapping the distribution of oxygen within the expanding gas.
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