This illustration shows the X-ray mission XMM-Newton, the largest scientific satellite constructed by ESA (European Space Agency) to date, in Earth orbit. Credit: ESA/D. Ducros
SS 433 is recognized by the red dot in the middle of the image. The X-ray information acquired by XMM-Newton are represented in yellow (soft X-rays), magenta (medium energy X-rays), and cyan (hard X-ray emission), while red is radio and green optical wavelengths imaged by the Very Large Array and the Skinakas Observatory in Greece, respectively. NASA NuSTAR and Chandra information were also utilized for the research study (not shown in this image).
The nebula brought in attention in 2018 when the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory, which is delicate to extremely high energy gamma-ray photons, revealed the presence of extremely energetic particles (hundreds of tera electron volts), but could not identify from where within the Manatee the particles were stemming.
XMM-Newton was essential in homing in on the region of particle acceleration in the X-ray jet blasting from the Manatees head, which starts about 100 light years far from the microquasar (represented by the magenta and cyan colors towards the left side SS 433) and encompasses around 300 light years (accompanying the radio ear where the shock ends).
The Manatee Nebula as imaged by the Very Large Array (VLA). Credit: B. Saxton, (NRAO/AUI/NSF) from information offered by M. Goss, et al
. Samar Safi-Harb of the University of Manitoba, Canada, who led the research study, says “thanks to the new XMM-Newton data, supplemented with NuSTAR and Chandra data, we believe the particles are getting sped up to extremely high energies in the head of the Manatee through an unusually energetic particle acceleration procedure. The great void outflow likely made its method there and has been re-energized to high-energy radiation at that area, possibly due to shock waves in the broadening gas clouds and improved magnetic fields.”
The nebula serves as a neighboring lab for exploring a wide range of astrophysical phenomena connected with the outflows of lots of galactic and extragalactic sources and will undergo additional investigation. Follow-up research studies by European Space Agencys future Athena X-ray observatory will provide even more delicate information about the inner workings of this curious cosmic Manatee.
Reference: “Hard X-ray emission from the eastern jet of SS 433 powering the W50 Manatee nebula: Evidence for particle re-acceleration” by Samar Safi-Harb, Brydyn Mac Intyre, Shuo Zhang, Isaac Pope, Shuhan Zhang, Nathan Saffold, Kaya Mori, Eric V. Gotthelf, Felix Aharonian, Matthew Band, Chelsea Braun, Ke Fang, Charles Hailey, Melania Nynka and Chang D. Rho, Accepted, Astrophysical Journal.arXiv:2207.00573.
Manatee Nebula or W50, as recorded by the X-ray space observatory XMM-Newton, likewise called the High Throughput X-ray Spectroscopy Mission and the X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission. Credit: S. Safi-Harb et al (2022 )
The European Space Agencys XMM-Newton spacecraft has actually X-rayed this gorgeous cosmic animal, known as the Manatee Nebula, pinpointing the area of unusual particle acceleration in its head.
The Manatee Nebula, likewise referred to as W50, is believed to be a big supernova remnant created when a huge star exploded around 30,000 years earlier, tossing its shells of gases out across the sky. It is among the largest recognized such features, spanning the comparable size of four complete Moons.
A black hole stays in its core, which is unusual for a supernova remnant. Referred to as SS 433, this main microquasar, produces powerful jets of particles traveling at speeds close to a quarter the speed of light that punch through the gassy shells, creating the double-lobed shape.
This illustration reveals the X-ray objective XMM-Newton, the largest clinical satellite developed by ESA (European Space Agency) to date, in Earth orbit. The X-ray data gotten by XMM-Newton are represented in yellow (soft X-rays), magenta (medium energy X-rays), and cyan (hard X-ray emission), while red is radio and green optical wavelengths imaged by the Very Large Array and the Skinakas Observatory in Greece, respectively. The Manatee Nebula as imaged by the Very Large Array (VLA). Samar Safi-Harb of the University of Manitoba, Canada, who led the research study, says “thanks to the brand-new XMM-Newton information, supplemented with NuSTAR and Chandra information, we think the particles are getting sped up to really high energies in the head of the Manatee through an unusually energetic particle acceleration procedure.