Trigger for Milky Way's Youngest Supernova Identified

Chandra_624_1024

chandra_624 March 30th, 2016

Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/S.Chakraborti et al.)

Scientists have found the likely trigger for the most recent supernova in the Milky Way, by studying the remnant called G1.9+0.3. This object belongs to a special class of supernovas called Type Ias used to measure the expansion rate of the Universe. By combining data from Chandra (seen in this image where red, green, and blue show low, medium, and high-energy respectively) and the VLA, scientists have determined that a merger of two white dwarf stars triggered the supernova in G1.9+0.3. It is important to identify the trigger mechanism for Type Ias because this could affect their use as "standard candles" in cosmology.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/g19/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
G1.9+0.3
Subject - Milky Way
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Supernova
Nebula > Type > Supernova Remnant

Distance

Universescale1
27,700 light years
Chandra_624_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 17h 48m 45.3s
DEC = -27° 10’ 7.8”
Orientation
North is 0.1° CW
Field of View
4.1 x 4.1 arcminutes
Constellation
Sagittarius

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Red Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (Low X-ray) 670.0 pm
Green Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (Med X-ray) 510.0 pm
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (High X-ray) 250.0 pm
Spectrum_xray1
Red
Green
Blue
Chandra_624_1280
×
ID
624
Subject Category
B.3.1.8   B.4.1.4  
Subject Name
G1.9+0.3
Credits
X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/S.Chakraborti et al.)
Release Date
2016-03-30
Lightyears
27,700
Redshift
27,700
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/g19/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Chandra, Chandra
Instrument
ACIS, ACIS, ACIS
Color Assignment
Red, Green, Blue
Band
X-ray, X-ray, X-ray
Bandpass
Low X-ray, Med X-ray, High X-ray
Central Wavelength
0.67, 0.51, 0.25
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
267.1889329, -27.1688425
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 3600.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1801.0
Scale
1.8992e-05, 1.8992011e-05
Rotation
-0.13
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
WCS retrieved using CXCs PinpointWCS
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
g19.tif
Resource URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/g19/g19.tif
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2016-03-30T16:12:23-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
27,700 light years

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