Images by Date
Images by Category
Solar System
Stars
Exoplanets
White Dwarfs
Supernovas
Neutron Stars
Black Holes
Milky Way Galaxy
Normal Galaxies
Quasars
Galaxy Clusters
Cosmology/Deep Field
Miscellaneous
Images by Interest
Space Scoop for Kids
4K JPG
Multiwavelength
Sky Map
Constellations
Photo Blog
Top Rated Images
Image Handouts
Desktops
Fits Files
Image Tutorials
Photo Album Tutorial
False Color
Cosmic Distance
Look-Back Time
Scale & Distance
Angular Measurement
Images & Processing
AVM/Metadata
Image Use Policy
Web Shortcuts
Chandra Blog
RSS Feed
Chronicle
Email Newsletter
News & Noteworthy
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
Download Guide
Get Adobe Reader
More Information
Supernovas & Supernova Remnants
Related Podcasts
Tour: NASA Telescopes Chase Down
Download Image

More Information

More Images
Chandra X-ray Image
of RCW 86
(Credit: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Utrecht/J.Vink et al.)

Animation & Video

More Releases
RCW 86
RCW 86
(22 Jan 15)
RCW 86
RCW 86
(26 Oct 11)
RCW 86
RCW 86
(26 Jun 09)
RCW 86
RCW 86
(08 Aug 07)

Related Images
RCW 86:
New Evidence Links Stellar Remains to Oldest Recorded Supernova



Credit: Chandra: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Utrecht/J.Vink et al. XMM-Newton: ESA/Univ. of Utrecht/J.Vink et al.

The combined image from the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray observatories of RCW 86 shows the expanding ring of debris that was created after a massive star in the Milky Way collapsed onto itself and exploded. Both the Chandra and XMM images show low energy X-rays in red, medium energies in green and high energies in blue. The Chandra observations focused on the northeast (left-hand) side of RCW 86, and show that X-ray radiation is produced both by high-energy electrons accelerated in a magnetic field (blue) as well as heat from the blast itself (red).

Properties of the shell in the Chandra image, along with the remnant's size and a basic understanding of how supernovas expand, were used to help determine the age of RCW 86. The new data revealed that RCW 86 was created by a star that exploded about 2,000 years ago. This age matches observations of a new bright star by Chinese astronomers in 185 A.D. (and possibly Romans as well) and may be the oldest known recordings of a supernova. Supernova explosions in galaxies like ours are rare, and none have been recorded in hundreds of years.

Fast Facts for RCW 86:
Credit  Chandra: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Utrecht/J.Vink et al. XMM-Newton: ESA/Univ. of Utrecht/J.Vink et al.
Scale  Chandra field of view is 38 arcmin across
Category  Supernovas & Supernova Remnants
Coordinates (J2000)  RA 14h 45m 02.30s | Dec -62º 20' 32.00"
Constellation  Circinus
Observation Date  June 15, 2004
Observation Time  20 hours
Obs. ID  4611
Color Code  Energy (Red: 0.5-1 keV; Green: 1-1.95 keV; Blue: 1.95-6.6 keV)
Instrument  ACIS
Also Known As G315.4-2.1
Distance Estimate  About 8,200 light years
Release Date  September 18, 2006