The star cluster Westerlund 1and the positions of the magnetar and its probable former companion star

This image of the young star cluster Westerlund 1 was taken with the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. Although most stars in the cluster are hot blue supergiants, they appear reddish in this image as they are seen through interstellar dust and gas. European astronomers have for the first time demonstrated that the magnetar in this cluster — an unusual type of neutron star with an extremely strong magnetic field — probably was formed as part of a binary star system. The discovery of the magnetar’s former companion (Westerlund 1-5) elsewhere in the cluster helps solve the mystery of how a star that started off so massive could become a magnetar, rather than collapse into a black hole.

Źródło:

ESO

O zdjęciu

Identyfikator:eso1415b
Typ:Kolaż
Data publikacji:14 maja 2014 12:00
Powiązane komunikaty:eso1415
Rozmiar:1261 x 1261 px

O obiekcie

Nazwa:Westerlund 1
Typ:Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Cluster
Odległość:15000 lat świetlnych
Constellation:Ara
Kategoria:Star Clusters

Formaty zdjęć

Wielki JPEG
422,2 KB

Współrzędne

Pozycja (RA):16 47 4.02
Pozycja (Dec):-45° 51' 4.96"
Pole widzenia:4.99 x 4.99 arcminutes
Orientacja:North is 0.1° prawo of vertical

Kolory i filtry

PasmoDługość faliTeleskop
Optyczny
B
451 nmMPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI
Optyczny
V
539 nmMPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI
Optyczny
R
651 nmMPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
WFI