Puppis A

Puppis A
The Chandra three-color image (inset) is a region of the supernova remnant Puppis A (wide-angle view from ROSAT in blue) which reveals a cloud being torn apart by a shock wave produced in a supernova explosion. ROSAT image is 88 arcmin across; Chandra image 8 arcmin across. RA 08h 23m 08.16s Dec -42º 41' 41.40" in Puppis. Observation date: September 4, 2005. Color code: Energy (Red 0.4-0.7 keV; Green 0.7-1.2 keV; Blue 1.2-10 keV). Instrument: ACIS. Credit: Chandra: NASA/CXC/GSFC/U.Hwang et al.; ROSAT: NASA/GSFC/S.Snowden et al.
X-ray image of the Cosmic Cannonball in Puppis A
Observation data (Epoch J2000)
Supernova type S
Host galaxy Milky Way
Constellation Puppis
Right ascension 08h 24m 07s
Declination -42° 59' 48
Galactic coordinates l = 260.2°, b = -3.7°
Discovery date 1971
Distance 7.000 ly
Physical characteristics
Progenitor Unknown
Progenitor type Unknown
Colour (B-V) Unknown
Notable features central source: RX J0822-4300.
Apparent size: 1°

Puppis A is a supernova remnant (SNR) about 100 lightyears in diameter and roughly 6500–7000 lightyears distant.[1] Its apparent angular diameter is about 1 degree.[2] The light of the supernova explosion reached Earth approximately 3700 years ago. Although it overlaps the Vela Supernova Remnant, it is four times more distant.

A hypervelocity neutron star known as the Cosmic Cannonball has been found in this SNR.

Puppis X-1

Puppis X-1 (Puppis A) was discovered by a Skylark flight in October 1971, viewed for 1 min with an accuracy ≥ 2 arcsec,[3] probably at 1M 0821-426, with Puppis A (RA 08h 23m 08.16s Dec -42º 41' 41.40") as the likely visual counterpart.

Puppis A is one of the brightest X-ray sources in the X-ray sky. Its X-ray designation is 2U 0821-42.

Gallery

References

  1. "Puppis A". WISE Multimedia Gallery. NASA. 9 Dec 2011. Retrieved 21 Nov 2014.
  2. Milne, D. K. (1971). "Radio observations of the supernova remnants IC443 and Puppis A". Aust. J. Phys. 24: 429. Bibcode:1971AuJPh..24..429M.
  3. Wiggin M (December 2000). "The Dome on Ball Hill – The RAE Observatory" (PDF).

See also