Three globular cluster candidates in the direction of the bulge shown to be small emission nebulae

Abstract

We carried out spectrophotometry in the range 4000- 7000Å and V, I and Gunn z imaging of the initially thought to be globular cluster candidates in the direction of the Galactic bulge TJ 5 and TJ 23 (Terzan & Ju 1980) and the one reported by Bica (1994). The three objects turned out to be small nebulae in rich stellar fields. Diagnostic diagrams for emission line ratios indicate that TJ 5 and TJ 23 are planetary nebulae. The locus of the third object strongly suggests it to be a supernova remnant, with very strong [NII]λ6584 and strong [SII]λλ6717,31. The sizes o f the nebulae are d=28", 45" and 49", and the reddening derived from the Balmer decrement indicates E(B–V)=0.86, 1.81 and 0.19, respectively for TJ 5, TJ 23 and the supernova remnant.