The sequence of images begins with an <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Infrared" title="Category:Infrared">infra-red</a> view of the area around the pulsar PSR B1509-58. The view then zooms into an optical image, which shows a surrounding cloud of gas. Next, a composite image with optical and <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Chandra_X-ray_Observatory" title="Category:Chandra X-ray Observatory">Chandra X-ray</a> data (in colour) shows the effects of an energetic wind powered by the pulsar. The X-ray emission results from very energetic <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Electron" title="Category:Electron">electrons</a> <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Spiral" title="Spiral">spiralling</a> in a magnetic field. <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Fingers" title="Category:Fingers">Finger</a>-like structures extend to the upper right and energize <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Knot" title="Knot">knots</a> of material in the gas cloud. The sequence ends with an X-ray/radio composite and a final image that includes the three wavelengths of X-ray, radio, and infra-red emission.
X-ray (NASA/CXC/SAO/P.Slane, et al.); Optical (WFAU/SuperCOSMOS); Infrared (2MASS/UMass/IPAC-Caltech); Radio (Molonglo Obs. Synthesis Tel.
2010-05-02
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2009/b1509/animations.html">CHANDRA Photo Album</a>