A Surprisingly Bright Superbubble
Sig12 009

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/U.Mich./S.Oey, IR: NASA/JPL, Optical: ESO/WFI/2.2-m

Observation • August 31st, 2012 • sig12-009

sig12-009

The star cluster NGC 1929 contains massive stars that produce intense radiation, expel matter at high speeds, and race through their evolution to explode as supernovas. The winds and shock waves carve out huge cavities called superbubbles in the surrounding gas. X-rays from Chandra (blue) in this composite image reveal the regions created by these winds and shocks, while infrared data from Spitzer (red) outline where the dust and cooler gas are found. Optical light from an ESO telescope in Chile (yellow) shows where ultraviolet radiation from the young stars is causing the gas to glow.

About the Object

Name
NGC 1929
Type
Star > Grouping > Cluster > Open
Nebula > Type > Star Formation
Distance
160,000 Light Years

Color Mapping

Band Wavelength Telescope
X-ray 1.5 keV Chandra ACIS
Infrared 3.6 µm Spitzer IRAC
Infrared 5.8 µm Spitzer IRAC
Infrared 8.0 µm Spitzer IRAC
Infrared 24.0 µm Spitzer MIPS
Optical 372 nm ESO WFI
Optical 500 nm ESO WFI
Optical 656 nm ESO WFI

Astrometrics

Position (J2000)
RA =5h 22m 26.4s
Dec = -67° 58' 7.9"
Field of View
25.3 x 20.2 arcminutes
Orientation
North is up