Dusty Celestial Ornaments Dusty Celestial Ornaments: Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A
spitzer_ssc2007-20a1
December 20, 2007
Creator: Spitzer Space Telescope
Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1716-ssc2007-20a1-Supernova-Remnant-Cassiopeia-A-Silicon-Gas
This infrared image shows silicon gas (blue) deep in the interior of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A. This cooler gas, called the unshocked ejecta, was synthesized in the supernova blast.
The data for this image was taken by Spitzer's infrared spectrograph, which splits light apart to reveal the fingerprints of molecules and elements. In total, Spitzer collected separate "spectra" at more than 1,700 positions across Cassiopeia A.
Image Use Policy: Public Domain
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Image Details
- Image Type
- Observation
- Object Name
- Cassiopeia A • Cas A
- Subject - Milky Way
- Nebula » Type » Supernova Remnant
Position Details
- Position (ICRS)
- RA = 23h 23m 25.7s
- DEC = 58° 49’ 12.9”
- Orientation
- North is 0.2° CCW
- Field of View
- 8.0 x 8.0 arcminutes
- Constellation
- Cassiopeia
Color Mapping
| Telescope | Spectral Band | Wavelength | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spitzer (IRS) | Infrared (Mid-IR) | 35.0 µm |
| Image constructed from specific wavelengths extracted from 1,700 IRS spectra | |||
