Chandra Release - August 23, 2004

Visual Description: Cassiopeia A

This Chandra X-ray Observatory image features the remnant of a supernova Cassiopeia A. The image is divided into two panels, with the left side being orange, green, and pink. These colors are used to depict the intensity of the X-rays emitted by the supernova remnant. The right panel is primarily dark blue with little bits of white. Both panels have black backgrounds. These spectacular images Cassiopeia A were the most detailed images ever made at the time of the remains of an exploded star at the time of the observation. The one-million-second image on the left shows a bright outer ring in green, ten light years in diameter that marks the location of a shock wave generated by the supernova explosion. A large jet-like structure that protrudes beyond the shock wave is shown in the upper left. The right image in blue is specially processed to highlight silicon ions, and a strong counter-jet can be seen on the lower right. Light purple fingers are located near the shock wave on the lower left of the left panel, and are composed almost purely of iron gas. This iron was produced in the central, hottest regions of the star and somehow ejected in a direction almost perpendicular to the jets. A bright source at the center of the image is the left over neutron star created during the supernova.