NASA spots supernova debris inside Sagittarius C near Sagittarius A
NASA just spotted the leftovers of a supernova explosion hanging out close to Sagittarius A*, our galaxy's giant black hole.
Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, scientists found this debris inside a cloud of ionized hydrogen called Sagittarius C, about 26,000 light-years from Earth.
They think the blast happened roughly 1,700 years ago, but its fast-moving debris is only now being detected as an X-ray "blob."
Low heavy-element debris, unusually bright X-rays
Supernova remnants are like nature's recycling program: they spread heavy elements that help form new stars and planets.
But here's the twist: this newly found debris doesn't have as many heavy elements as expected.
Scientists wonder if these materials mixed with their surroundings or if something else, like super-hot gas from nearby massive stars, is lighting things up.
Still, even experts are puzzled since the X-rays are way brighter than what they usually see from star clusters.
The full study appears in The Astrophysical Journal.