This is a composite image of the SN 1006 supernova remnant, which is located about 7000 light years from Earth. Shown here are X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue), optical data from the 0.9 meter Curtis Schmidt telescope at CTIO (yellow) and the DSS (orange), plus radio data from the NRAO's VLA and GBT (red). The original supernova explosion, caused by the destruction of a white dwarf star, was the brightest ever recorded on Earth. Elements such as iron that were previously locked up in the star were completely liberated by the supernova explosion. A combined study of its remnant, using Chandra, CTIO and VLA/GBT observations shows new evidence for the acceleration of charged particles to high energies in supernova shockwaves.
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Revised: December 08, 2008