<< Homepage Astronomy
Astronomy: Cassiopeia A
|
Cassiopeia A is 10.000 light years away from Earth, the light from the stellar explosion reached us first in 1572, seen by Tycho Brahe. This X-ray picture was taken from the Chandra Observatory, letting us explore the catastrophic fate that awaits stars much more massive than the Sun. The tiny glowing point near the center is a neutron star, the city-size remains of the stellar core. Astronomers estimate the diameter of this picture to be 10 light-years. At about 10 o'clock around the ring a structure extends beyond it, evidence that the initial explosion may have also produced energetic jets. Related subjects
>> Tycho Brahe |
 The remains of Cassiopeia A |
<< previous page