Image sig08-016

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MPIA/NASA

Vivid View of Tycho's Supernova Remnant

This composite image of the Tycho supernova remnant combines infrared and X-ray observations obtained with NASA's Spitzer and Chandra space observatories, respectively, and the Calar Alto observatory, Spain. It shows the scene more than four centuries after the brilliant star explosion witnessed by Tycho Brahe and other astronomers of that era.

The explosion has left a blazing hot cloud of expanding debris (green and yellow). The location of the blast's outer shock wave can be seen as a blue sphere of ultra-energetic electrons. Newly synthesized dust in the ejected material and heated pre-existing dust from the area around the supernova radiate at infrared wavelengths of 24 microns (red). Foreground and background stars in the image are white.

To download, choose your preferred resolution and file format below. "High-Resolution" files will always be the highest resolution and widest crop available, intended for print. Other resolutions are provided for convenient on-screen viewing.

Screen-Resolution (600x750) : JPEG (192 KB)
Medium-Resolution (1200x1500) : JPEG (344 KB)
High-Resolution (2400x3000) : JPEG (4.3 MB) | Mac TIFF (8.9 MB)

About the Object (1)
Object name: Tycho Supernova Remnant, SN 1572
Object type: Supernova Remnant
Position (J2000): RA: 00h 25m 9.00s Dec: 64° 9' 55.00"
Distance: 7,500 light-years
Constellation: Cassiopeia

About the Data

Spitzer Data

Instrument: MIPS
Release Date: 2008/12/03

Other Data

Image Credit: MPIA/NASA

Additional Info

Press Release: A Blast from the Past

Related links: Echos aus der Vergangenheit (German Release)

INDIVIDUAL IMAGES

Vivid View of Tycho's Supernova Remnant
Screen-Resolution (750x743): JPEG
High-Resolution (1930x1911): JPEG | Mac TIFF
Credit: MPIA/NASA

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