DIFFUSE-X-RAY EMISSION FROM THE DUMBBELL NEBULA

We have analyzed ROSAT Position Sensitive Proportional Counter pointed observations of the Dumbbell Nebula and find that the previously reported ''extended'' x-ray emission is an instrumental electronic ghost image at the softest energy band. At slightly higher energy bands, the image of the Dumbbell is not very different from that of the white dwarf HZ43. We conclude that the x-ray emission of the Dumbbell Nebula comes from its central star. A blackbody model is fitted to the spectrum and the best-fit temperature of less-than-or-equal-to 136000+/-10000 K is in excellent agreement with the Zanstra temperatures.