Light Echoes in Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A

Spitzer_ssc2008-09a1_1024

spitzer_ssc2008-09a1 May 29th, 2008

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Y. Kim (Univ. of Arizona/Univ. of Chicago)

This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope highlights dramatic changes in phenomena referred to as light echoes (colored areas) around the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant (center). Cassiopeia A is the remnant of a once massive star that died in a violent supernova explosion. It consists of a dead star, called a neutron star, and a surrounding shell of material that was blasted off as the star died.

A light echo is created when a star explodes or erupts, flashing light into surrounding clumps of dust. As the light zips through the dust clumps, it heats them up, causing them to glow successively in infrared, like a chain of Christmas bulbs lighting up one by one. The result is an optical illusion, in which the dust appears to be flying outward at the speed of light. This apparent motion can be seen here by the shift in colored dust clumps.

The main underlying image is a composite from Spitzer showing Cassiopeia A and surrounding interstellar clouds of dust. It consists of six images taken over a time span of three years, each represented in a different color, as noted by the key at the bottom of the image.

Dust features that have not changed over time appear gray, while those that have changed are colored blue or orange. Bluer colors represent an earlier time and redder ones, a later time. Certain areas of the light echo are displayed in more detail to show the turbulent patterns formed as the light echo illuminates different areas of gas and dust over time.

The supernova remnant is located 11,000 light-years away in the northern constellation Cassiopeia. The light echo is the largest ever seen, stretching more than 300 light-years away from Cassiopeia A. If viewed from Earth, the entire frame would take up the same amount of space as seven full moons.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1919-ssc2008-09a1-Light-Echoes-in-Supernova-Remnant-Cassiopeia-A

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Cassiopeia A Cas A
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Supernova Remnant
Nebula > Appearance > Reflection > Light Echo

Distance

Universescale1
11,000 light years
Spitzer_ssc2008-09a1_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 23h 23m 27.4s
DEC = 58° 50’ 1.7”
Orientation
North is 69.8° CCW
Field of View
3.5 x 3.5 degrees
Constellation
Cassiopeia

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
Colors indicate date of observation
Spectrum_ir1
Spitzer_ssc2008-09a1_1280
×
ID
ssc2008-09a1
Subject Category
B.4.1.4   B.4.2.2.1  
Subject Name
Cassiopeia A, Cas A
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Y. Kim (Univ. of Arizona/Univ. of Chicago)
Release Date
2008-05-29
Lightyears
11,000
Redshift
11,000
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1919-ssc2008-09a1-Light-Echoes-in-Supernova-Remnant-Cassiopeia-A
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer
Instrument
MIPS
Color Assignment
Band
Infrared
Bandpass
Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
24000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
C
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
350.86410831068645, 58.83379224971668
Reference Dimension
5040, 5005
Reference Pixel
2520, 2502.5
Scale
-0.00069190377362856183, 0.00069190377362856183
Rotation
69.775588271
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
ssc2008-09a1.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-06
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
11,000 light years

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