Spaceflight Now: Breaking News

Space and ground telescopes take image of exploded star
NASA/MARSHALL PHOTO RELEASE
Posted: April 13, 2000

Chandra image
Color composite of the supernova remnant E0102-72: X-ray (blue), optical (green), and radio (red). Photo: X-ray (NASA/CXC/SAO); optical (NASA/HST); radio: (ATCA)
 
This Chandra X-ray Observatory image (blue) of an exploding star is overlaid with an optical image (green) and radio image (red) of the same star. Such a composite shows astronomers a clearer picture of how the energy resulting from the explosion expands into the universe.

E0102-72 is the remnant of a star that exploded in a nearby galaxy known as the Small Magellanic Cloud. The galaxy is approximately 190,000 light years from Earth, so we see the remnant as it was about 190,000 years ago -- about a thousand years after the explosion occurred.

The star exploded outward at speeds in excess of 20 million kilometers per hour (12 million mph) and collided with surrounding gas. This collision produced two shock waves, or cosmic sonic booms -- one traveling outward, and the other rebounding back into the material ejected by the explosion.

The radio image, shown in red, was made using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. The radio waves are due to extremely high energy electrons spiraling around magnetic field lines in the gas and trace the outward moving shock wave.

The Chandra X-ray image, shown in blue, shows gas that has been heated to millions of degrees Celsius by the rebounding, or reverse shock wave. The X-ray data show that this gas is rich in oxygen and neon. These elements were created by nuclear reactions inside the star and hurled into space by the supernova.

The Hubble Space Telescope optical image, shown in green, shows dense clumps of oxygen gas that have "cooled" to about 30,000 degree Celsius.

Images such as these, taken with different types of telescopes, give astronomers a much more complete picture of supernova explosions. They can map how the elements necessary for life are dispersed, and measure the energy of the matter as it expands into the galaxy.


Earlier coverage
Hidden black hole - Chandra makes another discovery. [April 4, 2000]

Rare black hole - astronomers find strong evidence for a Type 2 quasar. [March 21, 2000]

Pressure fronts - a colossal cosmic "weather system" produced by the collision of two giant clusters of galaxies. [March 2, 2000]

Cosmic bar code - blanket of warm gas found expanding from giant black hole. [Feb. 22, 2000]

Starburst galaxy - the core of the nearest starburst galaxy is a seething cauldron. [Jan. 17, 2000]


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