Chandra Peers at Cosmic Super Bubbles

Area LHa115-N19 -- or N19 -- of the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbors Credit: NASA/CXC/UIUC/R.Williams et al.; Optical: NOAO/CTIO/MCELS coll.; Radio: ATCA/UIUC/R.Williams et al.

Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers explored a particular region of clouds and gas where stars are forming in one of the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbors. Combining X-ray data (blue and purple) with other wavelengths, researchers found evidence for the formation of a so-called superbubble. Superbubbles are formed when smaller structures from individual stars and supernovas combine into one giant cavity. The Chandra data shows evidence for three supernova explosions in this relatively small region.