Chandra Release - March 12, 2003

Visual Description: DEM L71

 X-ray and optical images of a supernova remnant named DEM L71 are shown in this two panel. The X-ray image at left is a soft ethereal horseshoe shape of light aqua blue inside and multicolored pinks, blues and lilacs around the thinner rim, while the optical image is a textured purple.   The image reveals a hot inner cloud (aqua) of glowing iron and silicon surrounded by an outer blast wave (multicolored). This outer blast wave is also visible at optical wavelengths (right panel, dark purple). Data from the Chandra observation show that the central ten-million-degree cloud is the remains of a supernova explosion that destroyed a white dwarf star.