Astronomers have identified an isolated neutron star inside a supernova remnant – the first time such an object has been defined outside the Milky Way.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy, a team led by Frédéric Vogt of the European Southern Observatory in Chile reports on the structure of a young supernova remnant dubbed 1E 0102.2–7219. {%recommended 2120%}
Supernova remnants observed within a few thousand years of their formative explosion throw off oxygen-rich and hydrogen-poor filaments, blasted out from the interior of the original star. Moving at several thousand kilometres per second, the filaments are visible at optical wavelengths.
At the centre of the complex sits a bright, compact object. Vogt and colleagues decided to find out the exact nature of the one visible at the heart of 1E 0102.2–7219.
Using reprocessed images originally gathered by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, the researchers calculated the object’s intrinsic luminosity, among other measurements.
“The energy distribution of the source indicates that this object is an isolated neutron star,” they conclude.
Originally published by Cosmos as Neutron star found at supernova’s heart
Andrew Masterson
Andrew Masterson is a former editor of Cosmos.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.