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Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня Ударная волна сверхновой 1987A http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1174935/eng |
Credit & Copyright: P. Garnavich (Harvard CfA)
et al.,
NASA
Explanation:
Fifteen years ago today, the
brightest supernova of modern times
was sighted.
Over time,
astronomers have watched and waited for
the expanding debris from this tremendous stellar
explosion to crash into
previously expelled material.
A clear result of such a collision is demonstrated above
in two frames
recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1994 (left)
and 1997(right).
While the central concentration of
stellar
debris has clearly evolved over this period,
the yellow spot on the ring in the righthand
picture announces the collision of an outward
moving
blast wave with the pre-existing, light-year wide ring.
The collision is occurring at speeds near
60 million kilometers per hour and shock-heats the
ring material causing it to glow.
Astronomers are hopeful that such collisions will
illuminate the interesting past of
SN 1987A, and perhaps provide more clues
about the origin of the mysterious rings.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.