Un equipo de científicos ha utilizado el telescopio espacial James Webb de la NASA para observar una explosión de rayos gamma excepcionalmente brillante, GRB 230307A y su kilonova asociada. Kilonovas, una explosión producida por una estrella de neutrones que se fusiona con un agujero negro o con otra estrella de neutrones, son extremadamente raros, lo que dificulta observar estos eventos. Las capacidades infrarrojas altamente sensibles de Webb ayudaron a los científicos a identificar la dirección de la casa de las dos estrellas de neutrones que crearon la Kilonova.
Esta imagen del instrumento NIRCAM (cámara cercana de infrarrojo) de Webb resalta el Kilonova de GRB 230307A y su antigua galaxia local entre sus entornos locales de otras galaxias y estrellas en el frente. Las estrellas de los neutrones fueron expulsadas de su galaxia local y viajaron a la distancia de aproximadamente 120,000 años luz, aproximadamente el diámetro de la Vía Láctea, antes de fusionar finalmente varios cientos de millones de años después.
credits
Image
nasa, Esa, CSA, Stsci yw Levan (IMapp, Warw)
P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P> P>| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | GRB 230307A |
| Object Description | Gamma ray burst from two colliding nuetron stars |
| R.A. Position | 04:03:26.01 |
| Dec. Position | -75:22:42.78 |
| Constellation | Mensa |
| Dimensions | Image is approximately 1.3 arcminutes across |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | The Webb observations include those from program: (A. Levan) |
| Instrument | NIRCam |
| Exposure Dates | 05 April 2023, 08 May 2023 |
| Filters | F115W, F150W, F277W, F356W, F444W |
| About The Image | |
| Color Info | This image is a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope using the NIRCam instrument. Several filters were used to sample wide wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: Blue: F115W + F150W Green: F277W Red: F356W + F444W |
| Compass Image |  |
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | A name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object. |
| Object Description | The type of astronomical object. |
| R.A. Position | Right ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Dec. Position | Declination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position. |
| Constellation | One of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears. |
| Distance | The physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs. |
| Dimensions | The physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky. |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description |
|
| Instrument | The science instrument used to produce the data. |
| Exposure Dates | The date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time. |
| Filters | The camera filters that were used in the science observations. |
| About The Image | |
| Image Credit | The primary individuals and institutions responsible for the content. |
| Publication Date | The date and time the release content became public. |
| Color Info | A brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented. |
| Orientation | The rotation of the image on the sky with respect to the north pole of the celestial sphere. |
