We report the discovery of X-ray emission from NGC 7027 , a prototypical object for the study of the formation and evolution of planetary nebulae ( PNs ) .
Observations with the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer ( ACIS ) aboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory show that the X-ray emission from NGC 7027 is extended and is bipolar in morphology .
The ACIS spectrum displays strong emission from highly ionized Ne and weaker emission features which we attribute to O , Mg , and Si .
Model fits to this spectrum suggest a characteristic temperature T _ { x } \sim 3 \times 10 ^ { 6 } K and an intrinsic ( unabsorbed ) X-ray luminosity of L _ { x } \sim 1.3 \times 10 ^ { 32 } ergs s ^ { -1 } .
The intranebular absorption of X-ray emission is highly nonuniform , but the modeling indicates an average column density N _ { H } \sim 6 \times 10 ^ { 21 } cm ^ { -2 } , consistent with previous measurements of relatively large visual extinction within the nebula .
We suggest that the X-ray emission from NGC 7027 is or was generated by a hitherto undetected fast wind from the central star of NGC 7027 , or from a companion to this star .
Chandra ’ s detection of extended , high-temperature X-ray emission from BD +30 ^ { \circ } 3639 , NGC 6543 , and now NGC 7027 suggests that such emission is a common feature of young planetary nebulae .