Supernova Remnants (4) ...
Cas A in X-Rays
Astronomers call the first official publicly released
observation by a telescope first light.
The adjacent figure shows "first light" from the
Chandra
X-ray telescope.
It is an X-ray image of a supernova remnant called Cassiopiea A
(or "Cas A," for short) that is the remains of a supernova that went off about 300 years ago in
the constellation Cassiopiea.
In addition to the high resolution (note the detailed
structure of the nebula), the tiny bright spot in the center is particularly intriguing, since
it could be the neutron star or black hole left behind by the supernova. Further observations
will be required to confirm this.
Recycling to the Interstellar Medium
Supernova remnants represent the distribution to the interstellar medium of processed star stuff. This is
the means by which the heaviest elements get distributed through the Universe so that they are available for
inclusion in the next generation of stars. The following diagram illustrates.
More generally, the heavy star cycle involving supernova remnants is only
part of a complex cycle of star birth
and star death that alters the interstellar medium.
