Chandra Release - July 3, 2006

Visual Description: SNR 0519-69.0

Four images of different supernova remnants shown in the X-ray part of the electromagnetic spectrum are included in this image. Each image has a different color scheme showcasing bright blues, greens and oranges, and is labeled with its object name (from top left, SNR 0519-69.0, 0509-68.7, 0534-69.9, and 0453-68.5).  Chandra's images of these supernova remnants show expanding shells of gas heated to millions of degrees by shock waves from supernova explosions. Moving in a clockwise direction from the upper left to the lower left, the approximate ages of the remnants are 600 years, 1,500 years, 10,000 years and 13,000 years, respectively. X-ray spectra indicate that the objects on the upper left, upper right and lower right are the remnants of Type Ia supernovas that completely disrupted a white dwarf star. In contrast, the remnant on the lower left was produced by a Type II supernova resulting from the gravitational collapse of a massive star. The explosion left behind a rapidly spinning neutron star that is ejecting a magnetized wind of extremely high-energy particles. This energetic wind appears in the image as the elongated, bright blue-white spot at the center of the remnant.