Hooked on the Cosmos!
The Cygnus Loop (also known as the Veil Nebula) is a supernova remnant, left over from a massive stellar explosion that occurred between 5,000 to 8,000 years ago. The original supernova would have been bright enough to be seen clearly from Earth with the naked eye. At three degrees across, the Cygnus Loop has the diameter of six full moons.
Now, NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory team has released a 3D model of a simulation describing the interaction of a blast wave from the explosion with an isolated cloud of the interstellar medium (that is, dust and gas in between the stars). You can view this 3D model and others like it at https://www.nasa.gov/missions/chandra/nasas-chandra-releases-new-3d-models-of-cosmic-objects/!
Image description: In the composite image, the remnant resembles a wispy cloud in oranges, blues, purples, and whites, shaped like a backwards letter C. The remnant is set against a backdrop of a million stars.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Optical: John Stone (Astrobin); Image Processing: NASA/SAO/CXC/L. Frattare, N. Wolk
#NASAMarshall #NASA #astrophysics #NASAChandra #Space #Chandra #Telescope #Universe #Supernova
Read more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory
Hooked on the Cosmos!
The Cygnus Loop (also known as the Veil Nebula) is a supernova remnant, left over from a massive stellar explosion that occurred between 5,000 to 8,000 years ago. The original supernova would have been bright enough to be seen clearly from Earth with the naked eye. At three degrees across, the Cygnus Loop has the diameter of six full moons.
Now, NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory team has released a 3D model of a simulation describing the interaction of a blast wave from the explosion with an isolated cloud of the interstellar medium (that is, dust and gas in between the stars). You can view this 3D model and others like it at https://www.nasa.gov/missions/chandra/nasas-chandra-releases-new-3d-models-of-cosmic-objects/!
Image description: In the composite image, the remnant resembles a wispy cloud in oranges, blues, purples, and whites, shaped like a backwards letter C. The remnant is set against a backdrop of a million stars.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Optical: John Stone (Astrobin); Image Processing: NASA/SAO/CXC/L. Frattare, N. Wolk
#NASAMarshall #NASA #astrophysics #NASAChandra #Space #Chandra #Telescope #Universe #Supernova
Read more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory