Supernova 1006, coloured X-ray image. This is the remnant of a supernova whose explosion was seen in 1006AD. It is the brightest in recorded history.

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Supernova 1006, coloured X-ray image. This is the remnant of a supernova whose explosion was seen in 1006AD. It is the brightest in recorded history. When a large star dies, gas shells explode outwards and collide with interstellar material. The energy of the collision ionises the gas, causing it to glow. Blue areas are X-rays emitted by high energy particles. Red and green areas are very hot gas (around 10 million degrees Celsius). Data from the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer on the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

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Size: 2600px × 2600px
Photo credit: © NASA/CXC/RUTGERS/JHUGHES ET AL/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: -ray, 1006, acis, advanced, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, brightest, ccd, chandra, death, expanding, expansion, exploding, explosion, gas, hot, imaging, observatory, radio, radiography, remnant, sn1006, source, space, spectrometer, star, stellar, supernova, telescope, xray