Posted on 09/30/2018 9:30:54 AM PDT by ETL
Explanation: Why is this neutron star off-center?
Recently a lone neutron star has been found within the debris left over from an old supernova explosion.
The "lonely neutron star" in question is the blue dot at the center of the red nebula near the bottom left of E0102-72.3.
In the featured image composite, blue represents X-ray light captured by NASA's Chandra Observatory, while red and green represent optical light captured by Very Large Telescope in Chile and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in orbit.
The displaced position of this neutron star is unexpected since the dense star is thought to be the core of the star that exploded in the supernova and created the outer nebula.
It could be that the neutron star in E0102 was pushed away from the nebula's center by the supernova itself, but then it seems odd that the smaller red ring remains centered on the neutron star.
Alternatively, the outer nebula could have been expelled during a different scenario -- perhaps even involving another star.
Future observations of the nebulas and neutron star appear likely to resolve the situation.
E0102 is the remnant of a supernova that exploded in the neighbouring galaxy known as the Small Magellanic Cloud.[1]
The supernova was caused when a star much more massive than the Sun collapsed under its own gravity.
The explosion would have been visible from the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth over 1000 years ago.[1]
The appearance of E0102 is best explained by a model in which the ejecta is shaped like a cylinder that is being viewed almost exactly end-on.[1] This model suggests that the explosion that created the E0102 remnant may itself have been strongly asymmetric, consistent with the rapid kicks given to neutron stars after supernova explosions.
Another possibility is that the star exploded into a disk of material formed when material was shed from the equator of the pre-supernova red giant star. Such asymmetries have been observed in winds from lower mass red giants that form planetary nebulas.
The remnant consists of an outer blast wave produced by the supernova, and an inner ring of cooler material.[1] This inner ring is probably expanding ejecta from the explosion that is being heated by a shock wave traveling backwards into the ejecta.
APOD Ping!
Notwithstanding the visual effect of peering into a diffused ball of exploding star debris, it is possible that the system is viewed from an obtuse angle, even several angles combined to create a skewed picture. If the debris field is compressed that could account for the apparent distortion.
Obtuse angle? From earth, how would one view it from different angles?
To clarify, view the photo and determine from what angle it would be necessary to view it with the red star in the center of the debris field.
Correction:
To clarify, view the photo and determine from what angle it would be necessary to view it with the blue star in the center of the debris field.
The Old One Eyed Face in a Bonnet supernova
From earth, how would one view it from different angles?
view the photo and determine from what angle it would be necessary to view it with the red star in the center of the debris field.
But from earth there is no choice but to view it from the actual angle that exists as it relates to earth, either photographically or optically. The only way that could be changed is with your imagination or computer models, extreme image manipulation etc.
Left over from an “old supernova explosion”.
That’s an understatement. LOL.
Precisely. I am imagining an angle that would place the blue star in the center of the debris field.
You imagination? OK. But how would someones "Imagination" "Skew" the image?
Thanks ETL for taking over the list!
You’re welcome. However, I don’t know if I can do it as regularly as you did.
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