Microquasar in Motion
Explanation:
Microquasars, bizarre binary star systems,
generating high-energy radiation and blasting out jets of particles
at nearly the speed of light, live in our
Milky Way galaxy.
The energetic microquasar systems seem to consist of a very compact
object, either a
neutron star or a black hole, formed in a supernova
explosion
but still co-orbiting with
an otherwise normal star.
And now, using a
very
long array of radio telescopes,
astronomers
are reporting
that at least one microquasar, LSI +61 303, can be
traced back
to its probable birthplace -- within a cluster of young stars
in the constellation Cassiopeia.
About 7,500 light-years from Earth, the star cluster and surrounding
nebulosity,
IC 1805, are shown in the
deep sky image above.
The cluster stars are identified by yellow boxes and circles.
A yellow arrow indicates the common apparent motion of the
cluster stars, the green arrow shows the deduced sky motion of the
microquasar system, and the red arrow depicts the microquasar's
motion relative to the star cluster itself.
Seen nearly 130 light-years from the cluster it once called home,
a powerful kick from the original
supernova explosion likely set this
microquasar in motion.
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.
