Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane et al.
Pulsing Wind
After massive stars explode they leave behind an extended nebula of exploded star matter, and sometimes a collapsed nugget at the center composed of star stuff squeezed to nuclear densities (a neutron star). A wind blows outward powered by energetic processes near the neutron star. The details of this process are gradually being revealed by high energy observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory of the Crab pulsar, the Vela pulsar, and now a deep observation of the remnant 3C58, shown above. This image of 3C58 shows (inset) a swirling torus of gas surrounding a neutron star, very similar to structures seen in the Crab nebula and around the Vela pulsar. Farther out the image shows magnetic loops generated by the rapidly spinning pulsar. This image helps astronomers understand the workings of high-energy dynamos around collapsed stars.
Last Week *
HEA Dictionary * Archive
* Search HEAPOW
* Education
Each week the HEASARC
brings you new, exciting and beautiful images from X-ray and Gamma ray
astronomy. Check back each week and be sure to check out the HEAPOW archive!
Page Author: Dr. Michael F. Corcoran
Last modified Monday, 26-Feb-2024 17:44:29 EST
