NASA's Swift, Chandra Explore a Youthful 'Star Wreck'

Chandra_535_1024

chandra_535 March 15th, 2013

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ of Michigan/M.Reynolds et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Radio: CSIRO/ATNF/ATCA

The previously unknown remains of a shattered star have been found by NASA's Swift satellite. A follow-up Chandra observation helped glean more information about this object known as G306.3-0.9. This composite image merges X-rays from Chandra (blue), infrared data from Spitzer (red and cyan), and radio observations (purple) from the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Analysis of the data indicates this supernova remnant is less than 2,500 years old, making it one of the 20 youngest known in the Milky Way.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2013/g306/

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
G306.3-0.9
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Supernova Remnant

Distance

Universescale1
26,000 light years
Chandra_535_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 13h 21m 46.4s
DEC = -63° 33’ 34.2”
Orientation
North is 5.9° CCW
Field of View
20.0 x 12.0 arcminutes
Constellation
Centaurus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Purple ATCA Radio (5GHz) 15.0 mm
Red Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
Cyan Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Cyan Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 5.8 µm
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Spectrum_xray2
Purple
Red
Cyan
Cyan
Blue
Chandra_535_1280
×
ID
535
Subject Category
B.4.1.4  
Subject Name
G306.3-0.9
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ of Michigan/M.Reynolds et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Radio: CSIRO/ATNF/ATCA
Release Date
2013-03-15
Lightyears
26,000
Redshift
26,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2013/g306/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
ATCA, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Chandra
Instrument
-, MIPS, IRAC, IRAC, ACIS
Color Assignment
Purple, Red, Cyan, Cyan, Blue
Band
Radio, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, X-ray
Bandpass
5GHz, Mid-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR, X-ray
Central Wavelength
1.5e7, 24000, 8000, 5800, 0.8267
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
200.4433557, -63.5594930
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 2164.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1083.0
Scale
9.26328e-05, 9.2632825e-05
Rotation
5.94
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
g306.tif
Metadata Date
2013-03-18T09:59:12-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
26,000 light years

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