NGC 5315: A planetary nebula about 7,000 light years from Earth in the constellation of Circinus
Caption: This image of NGC 5315 shows the box-shaped outlines for two of the detectors on Chandra, plus the so-called aimpoint of the telescope, where the Chandra images are the sharpest (the spatial resolution of Chandra images, like those for other X-ray telescopes, descreases with distance from the aimpoint). For optimal imaging of Hen 2-99, Chandra was pointed so that this planetary nebula would fall near the aimpoint. Although Hen 2-99 was too faint to be detected, the planetary nebula NGC 5315 was serendipitously detected a large distance away from the aimpoint, where the image is not as sharp.
Scale: Inset is approx.5 arcmin across.
Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS Image
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