Chandra Images Show That Geometry Solves a Pulsar Puzzle

Chandra_648_1024

chandra_648 January 18th, 2017

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/B.Posselt et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Illustration: Nahks TrEhnl

This four-panel graphic shows the two pulsars, Geminga (upper left) and B0355+54 (upper right), observed by Chandra. In both of these images, Chandra's X-rays, colored blue and purple, are combined with infrared data from Spitzer that shows stars in the field of view. Below each data image, an artist's illustration depicts more details of what astronomers think the structure of each pulsar wind nebula looks like. New Chandra data on the shape of these structures may explain the presence or absence of radio and gamma-ray pulses.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2017/geminga/

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

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

Image Details

Image Type
Collage
Object Name
Geminga
Subject - Milky Way
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Neutron Star > Pulsar

Distance

Universescale1
800 light years
Chandra_648_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 6h 33m 48.9s
DEC = 17° 45’ 9.9”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
4.6 x 4.6 arcminutes
Constellation
Gemini

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Pseudocolor Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Grayscale Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Spectrum_xray1
Pseudocolor
Grayscale
Chandra_648_1280
×
ID
648
Subject Category
B.3.1.9.1  
Subject Name
Geminga
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/B.Posselt et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Illustration: Nahks TrEhnl
Release Date
2017-01-18
Lightyears
800
Redshift
800
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2017/geminga/
Type
Collage
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Spitzer
Instrument
ACIS, IRAC
Color Assignment
Pseudocolor, Grayscale
Band
X-ray, Infrared
Bandpass
X-ray, Near-IR
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 3600
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
98.4537019, 17.7527598
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 3600.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1801.0
Scale
2.13637e-05, 2.1136736e-05
Rotation
0.04
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
geminga.tif
Metadata Date
2017-01-18T16:18:37-05:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
800 light years

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