Supernova remnant RCW 103,X-ray image. This cloud of gas and dust is expanding outwards from a neutron star (blue,centre),which is the remnants of a star that exploded about 2000 years ago. This type of massive explosion is called a supernova,and the resulting cloud of gas and dust is a supernova remnant. Here,the X-ray energy of the expanding cloud and neutron star is shown,with red,green and blue corresponding to low,medium and high-energy X-rays. RCW 103 is around 10,000 light years from Earth,in the constellation of Norma. The X-ray observations were made by the space-based Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO). Image published in 2007 |