NASA launched a rocket to study the unique supernova residue: why is it so important (photo)

The new probe rocket went into space so that scientists can understand how the explosive death of stars laid the basis for the emergence of new stars and galaxies. On Sunday, October 29, NASA sent a new probe rocket to the Infuse mission to the suborbital space. With the help of the device posted on the top of this rocket, scientists have been collecting information about the known supernova in the constellation Swan for a short time, Space writes. In focus.

Technology has appeared its Telegram channel. Subscribe not to miss the latest and most intrusive news from the world of science! The purpose of the study of astronomers is called the Lebed loop and it is the remnant of the supernova, which exploded 20 thousand years ago and is located at a distance of 2600 light years from Earth in the constellation of Swan. It was here that once a massive star, which was more than 20 times larger than the sun, exploded.

If this explosion was observed on the ground, the flash of light would be so bright that it could be seen during the day with the naked eye. Although this explosion of a huge star has occurred so long ago, there is still an expansion of the supernova residue, that is, substances thrown away during the supernova explosion, at a rate of 1. 5 million km/h. Currently, the size of the supernova is estimated in 120 light years.

The remnant of the supernova under the name of the Swan loop is a rare astronomical object as it demonstrates the ongoing explosion of the supernova. During the expansion of this object, the surrounding space of heavy chemical elements that were created in the nucleus of the dead star. These elements will be the basis for a new generation of stars and galaxies that will appear in thousands of years.

According to scientists, such explosions of the supernova have a huge impact on the formation of stars and galaxies. It was with the help of a device located on the top of a small probe rocket, directed in the suborbital space to a height of 240 km, scientists have collected extremely important data on the loops of Swan within a few minutes. The device recorded a light that exits from the supernova in the distant ultraviolet range.

This light reflects how dust and hot gas (its temperature is approximately 50 to 300 thousand degrees Celsius), during expansion, it is cut into the surrounding cold gas contained in our galaxy. According to scientists, these data will help to find out where the remnant of the supernova contains specific chemical heavy elements, which will help to understand the life cycles of stars and galaxies.