Chandra Release - August 8, 2007

Visual Description: G347.3-0.5 and RCW86

This 2-panel of G347.3-0.5 (left) and RCW86 (right) shows two supernova remnants for which their stellar explosions may have been witnessed by ancient astronomers. The first X-ray image shows a blue-purple hue with peaks of white, while the second X-ray image displays an aqua green and burnished gold scheme. The structures of the supernova remnants are circular or spherical, with filamentary-like structures and bright rims.  The images fill up most of the screen. The images of the supernova remnants are complex, with outlined boxes showing areas with additional information where Chandra X-ray Observatory data provides fine details of sections of the larger images from XMM-Newton.  RCW 86 may be the one of the earliest stellar explosions ever recorded, observed by Chinese astronomers (and perhaps the Romans) in 185 AD. There is evidence that the explosion that created G347.3-0.5 was also recorded by the Chinese, but two centuries later in 393 A.D.