NASA telescopes hunt down 'Green Monster' hidden in supernova remnant

Astronomers have delved into the intricate details of the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant like never before by merging data from NASA’s Chandra X ray Observatory and James Webb Space Telescope. This collaborative approach has played a crucial role in deciphering information about an enigmatic structure within the remnants of the obliterated star, referred to as the "Green Monster." Webb first noticed this Green Monster feature in April 2023.

The new image has also brought to light fresh insights into the explosion that gave rise to Cas A some 340 years ago. The combined effort of various telescopes As per the official release, this composite image is a result of combining observations from the Chandra, Webb, Hubble, and Spitzer Space Telescopes.

The Chandra data showcased the presence of hot gas, predominantly originating from supernova debris, containing elements such as silicon and iron. “In the outer parts of Cas A the expanding blast wave is striking surrounding gas that was ejected by the star before the explosion. The X rays are produced by energetic electrons spiraling around magnetic field lines in the blast wave,” mentioned the release.

The energetic electrons spiraling around magnetic field lines in the blast wave produce the observed X rays, visible as narrow arcs in Cas A's outer and interior sections. Webb's infrared data spotlights emission from dust, while Hubble's data provides a glimpse of stars in the cosmic field.

The formation of Green Monster “Detailed analysis by the researchers found that filaments in the outer part of Cas A, from the blast wave, closely matched the X ray properties of the Green Monster, including less iron and silicon than in the supernova debris,” added the The researchers deduced that the Green Monster resulted from a blast wave generated by the exploded star colliding with surrounding material, corroborating earlier hypotheses derived from Webb data alone.

The Chandra observations capture the explosion debris, which is heated to temperatures in the tens of millions of degrees by shock waves, analogous to sonic booms from a supersonic plane. Webb, on the other hand, detects "pristine" debris—material unaffected by shock waves. This groundbreaking research not only illuminates the captivating mysteries of the Green Monster within Cas A but also marks a significant step forward in our understanding of the aftermath of colossal stellar explosions..