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G292.0+1.820 000 light-years G292.0+1.8 is a young supernova remnant located in our Galaxy. This deep image shows a spectacularly detailed, rapidly expanding shell of gas that is 36 light-years across and contains large amounts of oxygen, neon, magnesium, silicon and sulphur. Astronomers believe that this supernova remnant, one of only three in the Milky Way known to have so much oxygen, was formed by the collapse and explosion of a massive star. Supernovae are of great interest because they produce the heavy elements believed to be necessary to form planets and life. Credit: Image made in X-ray light by S. Park et al. for NASA / Chandra X-ray Center and Penn State, and in visible light by DSS. |