Featured Resources
Classroom-Ready Activities
Science Olympiad Webinar
Science Olympiad JS9 Guide
Space Math @ NASA
NSO Tests 2024
- ASTRO National Exam
- ASTRO National Key
- RFTS National Exam
- RFTS National Key
Informal Education
Background
Interactive Games
Space Scoop
STOP for Science
Chandra Podcasts
Printable Materials
Resource Request
Educators' Comments
Evaluation Form
Education Collaborations
Passport to Knowledge
Space Place
Web Shortcuts
Chandra Blog
RSS Feed
Chronicle
Email Newsletter
News & Noteworthy
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
Download Guide
Get Adobe Reader
Introduction and Background:

RCW 86
RCW 86
(Chandra, XMM-Newton)
RCW 86 is a supernova remnant that was created by the destruction of a star approximately two thousand (2000) years ago. This age matches observations recorded by the Chinese and the Romans in 185 A.D. RCW 86 is 8200 light years away in the direction of the constellation Circinus and is considered to be the earliest recorded observation of a supernova event. Supernova events are relatively rare in the Milky Way Galaxy (MWG), occurring about twice every one hundred (100) years. The last known supernova event in the MWG occurred ~146 years ago. Because supernovas are rare within any galaxy, obtaining a good sample of supernovas to study requires regular monitoring of many galaxies. In the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy, one hundred and sixty thousand (160,000) light years away, a supernova explosion took place in 1987. Astronomers and spacecraft have been monitoring this event
SN 1987A
Chandra Time-lapse Movie of SN1987A
(SN 1987A) continuously as it changes over time. The movie clip on the right is a composite image showing the effects of the powerful shock wave moving away from the explosion. Bright spots of X-ray and optical emission arise where the shock collides with structures in the surrounding gas. These structures were carved out by the wind from the progenitor star. Hot-spots in the Hubble image (pink-white) now encircle Supernova 1987A and the Chandra data (blue-purple) reveals multimillion-degree gas at the location of the optical hot-spots. These data greatly increase our understanding of the processes involved as a supernova remnant expands into the surrounding interstellar medium.
Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | [Back]