Amazing photo of a Supernova Remnant from NASA. After the credits read more about the elements and how colors reveal what color is associated with what element. • • • This is a #repost @philosophy.and.science via @PhotoAroundApp Did you know that stellar explosions and their remains -- “supernova remnants” -- are a source of chemical elements essential for life here on Earth? A new Chandra X-ray Observatory image captures the location of several vital elements like silicon (red), sulfur (yellow), calcium (green) and iron (purple), located on Cassiopeia A -- a supernova remnant ~11,000 light years from Earth. Chandra’s sharp X-ray vision allows astronomers to gather detailed information about the elements that objects like Cas A produce. For example, they are not only able to identify many of the elements that are present, but how much of each are being expelled into interstellar space. Oxygen is the most abundant element in the human body (about 65% by mass), calcium helps form and maintain healthy bones and teeth, and iron is a vital part of red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body. All of the oxygen in the Solar System comes from exploding massive stars. About half of the calcium and about 40% of the iron also come from these explosions, with the balance of these elements being supplied by explosions of smaller mass, white dwarf stars. Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO #nasa #stars #galaxy #remnants #universe #stardust #nebula #solarsystem #mars #earth #oxygen #carbon #nitrogen #hubbletelescope #blackhole #wormhole #cosmology #astronomy #astrophysics #neildegrassetyson #carlsagan #stephenhawking #moon #physics #science #scientist #philosophyandscience #nasaphotos #alien #alien
