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Credit & Copyright: Royal Observatory, Edinburgh,
Anglo-Australian
Observatory
Explanation:
About 11,000 years ago a star in the constellation of
Vela exploded.
This bright
supernova
may have been visible to the
first
human farmers. Today the
Vela supernova
remnant marks the position of a relatively close and
recent explosion in
our Galaxy.
A roughly
spherical, expanding shock wave
is visible in X-rays. In the
above optical photograph, the upper left
corner of the spherical blast wave is shown in detail. As
gas flies away from the detonated star, it reacts with the
interstellar medium, knocking away closely held
electrons from even
heavy elements. When the
electrons recombine with these atoms, light in
many different colors and
energy bands is produced.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Vela - supernova remnant - supernova
Publications with words: Vela - supernova remnant - supernova
See also: