SN1006: A Bright Supernova Remnant Accelerating Cosmic Rays
An X-ray picture of the remnant of the supernova explosion of 1006 A.D.
This false color composite picture of the bright supernova remnant SN1006 was taken with the CCD cameras aboard the Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA). The supernova remnant was formed after a star in our Galaxy exploded. The expanding gas from the star is colliding into the surrounding material. This collision produced a violent shock which generates X-ray light. The bright regions in the picture shows the locations of this shock along the rim of the remnant. The energy spectrum of the bright 'caps' provides compelling evidence that cosmic-rays are produced in supernova remnants.
The picture was processed at NASA's Goddard Space flight Center, which supplied ASCA's telescope mirrors; the CCD cameras were developed at MIT, and the satellite was launched and is managed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan.
Further information can be found in "Evidence for Shock Acceleration of High Energy Electron in the Supernova Remnant SN1006," Koyama, K., Petre, R., Gotthelf, E. V., Matsuura, M., Ozaki, M., Holt, S. S. 1995, Nature, 378, 255.
Photo Credit: Dr. Eric V. Gotthelf, Columbia University. The above author grants permission to reproduce part or all of this image for non-commercial educational use only so long as the photo credit is displayed.
This document is maintained by Eric Gotthelf 212-864-9047, eric@astro.columbia.edu