"Mini Supernova" Explosion Could Have Big Impact

Chandra_592_1024

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

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
GK Persei
Subject - Milky Way
Star > Evolutionary Stage > White Dwarf

Distance

Universescale1
1,530 light years
Chandra_592_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 3h 31m 14.4s
DEC = 43° 54’ 23.2”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
3.4 x 2.7 arcminutes
Constellation
Perseus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Yellow Hubble (WFPC2) Optical (NII) 658.0 nm
Magenta VLA Radio (L-band) 200.0 mm
Spectrum_xray2
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Chandra_592_1280
×
ID
592
Subject Category
B.3.1.7  
Subject Name
GK Persei
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/RIKEN/D.Takei et al; Optical: NASA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/VLA
Release Date
2015-03-16
Lightyears
1,530
Redshift
1,530
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2015/gkper/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Hubble, VLA
Instrument
ACIS, WFPC2, -
Color Assignment
Blue, Yellow, Magenta
Band
X-ray, Optical, Radio
Bandpass
X-ray, NII, L-band
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 658, 2e8
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
52.8098226, 43.9064348
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 2802.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1402.0
Scale
1.59675e-05, 1.5967476e-05
Rotation
-0.00
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
gkper.tif
Metadata Date
2015-03-16T14:36:16-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
1,530 light years

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