NASA’s Chandra Observatory spots possible supernova remnant in the middle of our galaxy

NASA spots the possible remains of a massive supernova in the middle of the Milky Way

If the supernova remnant is confirmed, it would be one of the closest to the supermassive black hole that lies in the center of the Milky Way

NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory has captured a dramatic scene about 26,000 light-years away from Earth. Scientists suspect it could be a supernova remnant, the violent shock wave and cloud of debris sent hustling through space after a massive star dies. Scientists estimate the possible supernova remnant is expanding at a rate of two million miles per hour and is at least 1,700 years old.

Supernovas are a key part of the galaxy’s ecosystem—when they explode, they release elements that are key to the birth of new stars and planets. If confirmed to be a supernova remnant, it would be one of the closest remnants ever found to the supermassive black hole in the central region of the Milky Way.

In the new composite image seen above, the galaxy runs left to right. The long filaments that are mostly perpendicular to the galaxy are energetic particles traveling along magnetic fields. Another image layered with James Webb Space Telescope data shows a close-up of the potential remnant, located in Sagittarius C, an active star-forming region near the center of the Milky Way.

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Scientists think the object may be the remains of a supernova because x-ray data suggests there is a “bright blob” inside Sagittarius C. That blob matches many of the known characteristics of a rapidly expanding supernova remnant, according to a recent study in the Astrophysical Journal . The data come from NASA’s Chandra, as well as the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton mission, South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope and the Pan-STARRS telescopes in Hawaii.

The possible remnant is inside what is known as the HII region of Sagittarius C. This type of region is a special bubble of gas that forms when radiation from hot, young stars strips the electrons from hydrogen atoms, making clouds of ionized hydrogen.