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NASA’s new X-ray telescope observed the haunting “bones” of a ghostly cosmic hand 16,000 light-years from Earth for 17 days.
Although the formation has been observed before, this fall is the longest period the telescope has observed since its launch in December 2021.
The eerie formation, which looks like an arm extending into space, is a remnant of a supernova explosion 1,700 years ago called MSH 15-52, one of the youngest in the Milky Way.
The supernova that resulted in the unusual pattern also created an ultra-dense, magnetized star called a pulsar.
NASA’s new X-ray telescope observed the haunting “bones” of a ghostly cosmic hand 16,000 light-years from Earth for 17 days
“About 1,500 years ago, our galaxy ran out of nuclear fuel to burn,” researchers led by Stanford University in California said in a statement.
“When this happened, the star collapsed in on itself, forming an extremely dense object called a neutron star.”
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory first discovered MSH 15-52 in 2001, also capturing a hand-like formation.
But the agency’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) captured even more detail of the haunting remains, along with an eerie purple glow.
Roger Romani of Stanford University in California, who led the study, said: “The IXPE data gives us the first map of the world.”
“The charged particles that produce the X-rays travel along the nebula and determine the basic shape of the nebula, just as the bones in a person’s hand do.”
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory first discovered MSH 15-52 in 2001 (pictured), also capturing a hand-like formation
IXPE provides information about the electric field orientation of X-rays, which is determined by the magnetic field of the X-ray source – this is called X-ray polarization.
“In large regions of MSH 15-52, the extent of polarization is remarkably high, reaching the maximum level expected from theoretical work,” the researchers said.
“To achieve this strength, the magnetic field must be very straight and uniform, meaning there is little turbulence in the pulsar wind nebula regions.”
While the entire formation is stunning, the team pointed out a particularly interesting feature of MSH 15-52 – a bright X-ray beam directed from the pulsar toward the “wrist” at the bottom of the image.
“The new IXPE data show that the polarization at the beginning of the jet is low, which is likely due to the fact that it is a turbulent region with complex, tangled magnetic fields associated with the production of high-energy particles,” they noted Teams fixed.
“At the end of the beam, the magnetic field lines appear to straighten up and become much more uniform, making the polarization much greater.”
The study results suggest that particles in complex turbulent regions near the pulsar at the base of the palm receive a boost of energy and flow to areas along the wrist, fingers and thumb where the magnetic field is uniform.
Co-author Niccolò Di Lalla, also from Stanford, said: “We have uncovered the life history of super-energetic matter and antimatter particles around the pulsar.”
“This allows us to learn how pulsars can function as particle accelerators.”