NASA's Chandra Observatory Discovers Unexpected Brightness Changes in Supernova Remnants in Galaxy M83
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Summary
Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory studied the galaxy Messier 83 (M83) over a 14-year period and unexpectedly discovered that about half of the supernova remnants (stellar explosion debris) show dramatic changes in brightness, resembling cosmic fireworks rather than the typical slowly fading clouds of hot gas. The findings were presented at the American Astronomical Society meeting and published in The Astrophysical Journal. M83, located about 15 million light-years from Earth, is a star-forming galaxy where these unusual X-ray sources were observed between 2000 and 2014.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe aftermath of a supernova, a stellar explosion, is usually a slowly fading cloud of hot gas.
When astronomers pointed NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory at the nearby galaxy Messier 83 (M83), they did not expect to find a population of supernova remnants, or the debris from these explosions, showing dramatic changes in their brightness.
The galaxy M83, located about 15 million light-years from Earth, is forming stars at a high rate.
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