All That Remains of Exploded Star

Spitzer_sig11-020_1024

spitzer_sig11-020 October 24th, 2011

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Williams (NCSU)

Infrared images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) are combined in this image of RCW 86, the dusty remains of the oldest documented example of an exploding star, or supernova. It shows light from both the remnant itself and unrelated background light from our Milky Way galaxy. The colors in the image allow astronomers to distinguish between the remnant and galactic background, and determine exactly which structures belong to the remnant.

Dust associated with the blast wave of the supernova appears red in this image, while dust in the background appears yellow and green. Stars in the field of view appear blue. By determining the temperature of the dust in the red circular shell of the supernova remnant, which marks the extent to which the blast wave from the supernova has traveled since the explosion, astronomers were able to determine the density of the material there, and conclude that RCW 86 must have exploded into a large, wind-blown cavity. The infrared images, when combined with optical and X-ray data, clearly indicate that the source of the mysterious object seen in the sky over 1,800 years ago must have been a Type Ia supernova.

The red channel includes data from both WISE at 22 microns (outer edges) and Spitzer at 24 microns (central region including remnant). Shorter wavelength infrared light from WISE at wavelengths of 3.4, 4.6, and 12 microns is represented in blue, cyan and green, respectively.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/4778-nhsc2011-09a-All-That-Remains-of-Exploded-Star

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
RCW 86
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Supernova Remnant

Distance

Universescale1
8,200 light years
Spitzer_sig11-020_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 14h 43m 0.7s
DEC = -62° 27’ 47.3”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
1.1 x 0.8 degrees
Constellation
Circinus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue WISE Infrared (Near-IR) 3.4 µm
Cyan WISE Infrared (Near-IR) 4.6 µm
Green WISE Infrared (Mid-IR) 12.0 µm
Red WISE Infrared (Mid-IR) 22.0 µm
Red Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
The red channel includes data from both WISE at 22 microns (outer edges) and Spitzer at 24 microns (central region including remnant).
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Cyan
Green
Red
Red
Spitzer_sig11-020_1280
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ID
sig11-020
Subject Category
B.4.1.4  
Subject Name
RCW 86
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Williams (NCSU)
Release Date
2011-10-24
Lightyears
8,200
Redshift
8,200
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/4778-nhsc2011-09a-All-That-Remains-of-Exploded-Star
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
WISE, WISE, WISE, WISE, Spitzer
Instrument
-, -, -, -, MIPS
Color Assignment
Blue, Cyan, Green, Red, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3400, 4600, 12000, 22000, 24000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
T
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
220.7530113253541, -62.463133380283423
Reference Dimension
2811, 2154
Reference Pixel
1405, 1077
Scale
-0.0003819444391411, 0.0003819444391411
Rotation
0.0
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2011-09a.tif
Metadata Date
2012-10-12
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
8,200 light years

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