Supernova 1987A: December 6, 2006

This Hubble telescope image shows the supernova's triple-ring system, including the bright spots along the inner ring of gas surrounding the exploded star. A shock wave of material unleashed by the stellar blast is slamming into regions along the inner ring, heating them up, and causing them to glow. The ring, about a light-year across, was probably shed by the star about 20 000 years before it exploded.

Credit:

NASA, ESA, and R. Kirshner (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

About the Image

NASA press release
Id:heic0704h
Type:Observation
Release date:22 February 2007, 16:55
Related releases:heic0704
Size:326 x 262 px

About the Object

Name:SN 1987A
Type:Local Universe : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Supernova
Distance:170000 light years
Constellation:Dorado
Category:Stars

Image Formats

r.titleLarge JPEG
35.1 KB
r.titleScreensize JPEG
100.0 KB

Classic Wallpapers

r.title1024x768
130.7 KB
r.title1280x1024
181.2 KB
r.title1600x1200
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r.title1920x1200
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r.title2048x1536
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Coordinates

Position (RA):5 35 27.99
Position (Dec):-69° 16' 11.26"
Field of view:0.03 x 0.03 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical


Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
B
435 nm Hubble Space Telescope
ACS
Optical
V
555 nm Hubble Space Telescope
ACS
Optical
R
625 nm Hubble Space Telescope
ACS
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