ESA Hubble Photo Release | 2017 Mar 30
[c][attachment=0]heic1707a[1].jpg[/attachment][/b][/c][hr][/hr]Astronomers have used the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to observe the remnant of a supernova explosion in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Beyond just delivering a beautiful image, Hubble may well have traced the surviving remains of the exploded star’s companion.
A group of astronomers used Hubble to study the remnant of the Type Ia supernova explosion SNR 0509-68.7 — also known as N103B (seen at the top). The supernova remnant is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, just over 160 000 light-years from Earth. In contrast to many other Supernova remnants N103B does not appear to have a spherical shape but is strongly elliptical. Astronomers assume that part of material ejected by the explosion hit a denser cloud of interstellar material, which slowed its speed. The shell of expanding material being open to one side supports this idea.
The relative proximity of N103B allows astronomers to study the life cycles of stars in another galaxy in great detail. And probably even to lift the veil on questions surrounding this type of supernova. The predictable luminosity of Type Ia supernovae means that astronomers can use them as cosmic standard candles to measure their distances, making them useful tools in studying the cosmos. Their exact nature, however, is still a matter of debate. Astronomers suspect Type Ia supernovae occur in binary systems in which at least one of the stars in the pair is a white dwarf [1].
There are currently two main theories describing how these binary systems become supernovae. Studies like the one that has provided the new image of N103B — that involve searching for remnants of past explosions — can help astronomers to finally confirm one of the two theories. ...
Wispy Remains of Supernova Explosion Hide Possible 'Survivor'
NASA | STScI | HubbleSite | 2017 Mar 30
Physical Structures of the Type Ia Supernova Remnant N103B - Chuan-Jui Li et al
- Astrophysical Journal 836(1):85 (10 Feb 2017) DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/836/1/85
arXiv.org > astro-ph > arXiv:1701.05852 > 20 Jan 2017