Chandra Release - August 14, 2014

Visual Description: M82 SN2014J

Chandra X-ray Observatory data gives insight into the explosion that produced SN 2014J, one of the closest supernovas discovered in decades, located in the M82 galaxy. SN 2014J is a Type Ia supernova, an important class that astronomers use to measure the expansion of the Universe. This image features M82 as the main part, with the low, medium, and high-energy X-rays that Chandra can detect in red, green, and blue respectively.  There is a tiny box just to the left of center in M82. Two boxes in the bottom of the image show close-up views of that region around the supernova in data taken prior to the explosion (left), as well as data gathered about three weeks after the supernova went off (right). The images are mostly dark with just a bit of patchy brown-ish emission around the left sides. This lack of X-rays detected by Chandra of the event rules out one mechanism that scientists theorized could cause the star to explode. The striking X-ray image of the starburst galaxy M82 itself features an intense, glowing and nebulous object sprinkled liberally across with smaller, fainter dots of light.  The image is almost smooth and shiny in appearance, reminiscent of light from a polished gemstone. The colors of the bright object are predominantly orange and golden yellow, with little pops of blue and white. M82 is a galaxy seen nearly edge-on with its disk crossing from about 10 o'clock to about 4 o'clock in this image from Chandra.