X-ray & Optical Images of Kepler's Supernova Remnant
The Chandra X-ray image of Kepler's supernova remnant show different colors ranging from lower to higher energies: red, yellow, green, blue and purple. An optical image from the Digitized Sky Survey (pale yellow and blue) shows stars in the field of view. The Kepler supernova was a Type Ia event, the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf. New analysis suggests that the supernova explosion was not only more powerful, but might have also occurred at a greater distance, than previously thought.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/D.Patnaude, Optical: DSS)