In 2024, the NASA telescope Chandra X-ray Observatory will ring in the New Year by detecting two massive star explosions in the universe. The large envelope of faint X-rays suggests another supernova event took place over 5,500 years ago, and perhaps others before that as well.
credit: Nasa Telescope The image combines X-rays from Chandra with optical light from Hubble and infrared light from Spitzer. |
1. Chandra’s X-rays
have presented compelling evidence of at least two explosions linked to the
supernova remnant 30 Doradus B.
2. Ordinarily, a
supernova remnant is connected to just one supernova event.
3. Situated in the
Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way, 30 Doradus B has
been captured in a fresh image that encompasses X-ray, optical, and infrared
data.
NASA telescope Chandra X-ray
Observatory 30
Doradus B, also known as 30 Dor B, is a captivating supernova remnant that
showcases a vibrant and festive display of various types of light. This
stunning image reveals the remnants of not just one, but at least two, exploded
stars. Situated within a larger region of space where stars have been
continuously forming for millions of years, 30 Dor B presents a complex
landscape filled with dark clouds of gas, youthful stars, high-energy shocks,
and superheated gas. It resides a staggering 160,000 light-years away from
Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small satellite galaxy of our very own
Milky Way.
To capture this
remarkable image, scientists combined data from multiple sources. X-ray data
from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, represented in purple, was merged with
optical data from the Blanco 4-meter telescope in Chile, depicted in orange and
cyan. Additionally, infrared data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope
contributed a red hue to the image. To emphasize distinct features, black and
white optical data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was also incorporated.
A dedicated team of
astronomers, led by Wei-An Chen from the National Taiwan University in Taipei,
Taiwan, meticulously analyzed the region surrounding 30 Dor B. Utilizing over
two million seconds of observing time from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, they
made a fascinating discovery. The team identified a faint shell of X-rays
extending approximately 130 light-years across. To put this into perspective,
the nearest star to our Sun is a mere 4 light-years away. Furthermore, the
Chandra data unveiled the presence of particle winds emanating from a pulsar
within 30 Dor B, resulting in the formation of a pulsar wind nebula.
Upon combining the
data from Hubble and other telescopes, the researchers concluded that a single
supernova explosion could not account for the observed phenomena. Instead, they
propose that both the pulsar and the intense X-rays emanating from the center
of 30 Dor B are the aftermath of a supernova explosion that occurred around
5,000 years ago, following the collapse of a massive star. However, the larger
and more diffuse X-ray shell cannot be attributed to the same supernova event.
The team suggests that at least two supernova explosions have taken place
within 30 Dor B, with the X-ray shell originating from a separate supernova
over 5,000 years ago.
The vast,
indistinct X-ray shell, on the other hand, is of such immense proportions that
it cannot be attributed to the same supernova event. The researchers propose
that at least two separate supernova explosions occurred within 30 Dor B, and
the X-ray shell was formed by a different supernova over 5,000 years ago.
Furthermore, it is highly plausible that additional events transpired in the
distant past.
Post a Comment