A Cocoon Found Inside the Black Widows Web

Chandra_68_1024

chandra_68 February 27th, 2003

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASTRON/B.Stappers et al.; Optical: AAO/J.Bland-Hawthorn & H.Jones

This composite X-ray (red/white) and optical (green/blue) image reveals an elongated cloud, or cocoon, of high-energy particles flowing behind the rapidly rotating Black Widow pulsar (the white point-like source). The pulsar is also moving through the galaxy at a high speed which creates an outer bow shock wave visible to optical telescopes. The pressure behind this outer shock wave creates a second shock wave that sweeps the cloud of high-energy particles back from the pulsar to form the cocoon. The Black Widow pulsar is emitting intense high-energy radiation that appears to be destroying a companion star through evaporation. It is one of a class of extremely rapidly rotating, very old neutron stars called millisecond pulsars.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/b1957/

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

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

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
B1957+20
Subject - Milky Way
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Neutron Star > Pulsar

Distance

Universescale1
5,000 light years

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 19h 59m 36.8s
DEC = 20° 48’ 15.1”
Constellation
Sagitta

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Red Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
White Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Blue AAO (AAT) Optical -
Green AAO (AAT) Optical (H-alpha) 656.0 nm
Spectrum_xray1w
Red
White
Green
Chandra_68_1280
×
ID
68
Subject Category
B.3.1.9.1  
Subject Name
B1957+20
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/ASTRON/B.Stappers et al.; Optical: AAO/J.Bland-Hawthorn & H.Jones
Release Date
2003-02-27
Lightyears
5e3
Redshift
5e3
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/b1957/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Chandra, AAO, AAO
Instrument
ACIS, ACIS, AAT, AAT
Color Assignment
Red, White, Blue, Green
Band
X-ray, X-ray, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
X-ray, X-ray, -, H-alpha
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 0.8267, -, 656
Start Time
2001-06-21T20:00:51, 2001-06-21T20:00:51
Integration Time
43200, 43200
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
299.903333, 20.804194
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
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 Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
b1957_comp.tif
Metadata Date
2012-07-27T14:56:42-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
5,000 light years

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