The remains of a supernova 鈥� an exploded star 鈥� in an unusual location could help us examine the oldest part of our galaxy.
at the Space Research Institute in Moscow, Russia, and his colleagues analysed data from an all-sky survey done with the eROSITA X-ray telescope aboard the Spektr-RG space observatory. The researchers discovered a large, circular object almost 10,000 light years away.
They say its shape suggests it is a supernova remnant, but it doesn鈥檛 look like an ordinary one. It appears to be far larger and older than is typical. The object is about 40,000 years old and around 320 light years wide.
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The researchers believe it is located in the Milky Way鈥檚 halo, which surrounds the central disc. The halo is thought to be the most ancient part of our galaxy, although we know very little about it other than that it is made up of hot and low-density gas, says Churazov. Models predict that supernova remnants are rare in the halo.
鈥淭he remnants of [supernovae] may look different in the disc and halo of the galaxy,鈥� says Churazov. The halo is made up of a homogenous mix of gas, while the disc is far more varied, meaning the shape of a supernova can be distorted by its environment.
Because gas in our galaxy鈥檚 halo is so diffuse, it may have been largely unaffected by the star exploding. And due to the large size of this supernova remnant, it is still emitting X-ray radiation that we can measure, so it could be used to find the temperature, density and elemental make-up of the portion of the Milky Way鈥檚 halo it sits in.
鈥淥ther measurements at other wavelengths are needed to confirm the findings, but if it is confirmed, it can give us a unique probe into the Milky Way and the interface between its disc and halo,鈥� says at the University of Manitoba, Canada.
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