This
image of supernova remnant G347.3-0.5 combines data from NASA's Chandra X-ray
Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton. The XMM-Newton satellite obtained data from a
wider field of view, while Chandra focused on areas of interest to researchers
(in outlines).
Chinese
astronomers may have witnessed the supernova that caused G347.3-0.5, in 393
A.D. According to Chinese records, a bright star in the location of G347.3-0.5 remained
visible for months, and rivaled Jupiter in brilliance. However, several
supernova remnants lie within this region, making it difficult to identify the
remnant of SN 393 AD with certainty.
X-rays
from G347.3-0.5 are dominated by radiation from extremely high-energy electrons
in a magnetized shell rather than radiation from a hot gas. The remnant also produces
very high-energy gamma rays. The bright point-like source on the lower section
of the image (which only shows the upper portion of the entire remnant) is
similar to other known neutron stars, and indicates that G347.3-0.5 is the
result of a core-collapse of a massive star. In both the Chandra and XMM-Newton
images, brightness of the color represents the intensity of X-rays.
--Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and SPACE.com
Staff
Credit: Chandra: NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane
et al.; XMM-Newton:ESA/RIKEN/J.Hiraga et al.
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