chandra_592 March 16th, 2015
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/RIKEN/D.Takei et al; Optical: NASA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/VLA
Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have studied the "classical nova" called GK Persei. Classical novas are outbursts produced by a thermonuclear explosion on the surface of a white dwarf star, the dense remnant of a Sun-like star. This composite image of GK Persei contains X-rays from Chandra (blue), optical data from Hubble (yellow), and radio data from the Very Large Array (pink). The X-ray data show hot gas and the radio data show emission from electrons that have been accelerated to high energies by the nova shock wave. The optical data reveal clumps of material that were ejected in the explosion.
Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory
Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2015/gkper/
Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA
Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
Providers | Sign In