Burning Brightly Postcard

Images from the Hubble space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory combine to make this composite of N49, the brightest supernova remnant in optical light in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Chandra X-ray image (blue) shows million-degree gas in the centre. Much cooler gas at the outer parts of the remnant is seen in the infrared image from Spitzer (red). While astronomers expected that dust particles were generating most of the infrared emission, the study of this object indicates that much of the infrared is instead generated in heated gas. The unique filamentary structure seen in the optical image by Hubble (white and yellow) has long set N49 apart from other supernova remnants, as most appear roughly circular in visible light. Recent mapping of molecular clouds suggests that this supernova remnant is expanding into a denser region to the southeast, which would cause its asymmetrical appearance. This idea is confirmed by the Chandra data. Although x-rays reveal a round shell of emission, the they also show brightening in the southeast, confirming the idea of colliding material in that area. Image credit: NASA/CXC/STScI/JPL-Caltech/UIUC/Univ. of Minn.