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Supernova Remnant

The structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova. It consists of ejected material expanding from the explosion and the shocked interstellar medium it sweeps up.

Source: apod.nasa.gov

APODs including "Supernova Remnant"

X-ray Hot Supernova Remnant in the SMC

09/12/1999

X-ray Hot Supernova Remnant in the SMC
Image Credit: NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

The Q-shaped cloud seen in this false-color X-ray image from the orbiting Chandra Observatory is big ... about 40 light-years across. It's hot too, as its X-ray glow is produced by multi-million degree gas. Cataloged as E0102-72, this cosmic Q is likely a several thousand year old supernova remnant, the result of the death explosion of a massive star. A supernova can dramatically affect its galactic environment, triggering star formation and enriching the local interstellar medium with newly synthesized elements. This supernova remnant is located about 210,000 light-years away in our neighboring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), so the detailed Chandra X-ray image is impressive - particularly as it reveals what appear to be strange spoke-like structures radiating from the remnant's center.