Superbubbles are formed by multiple closely spaced stars dying, creating bursts of energy and stellar winds that heat gases to high temperatures. Researchers have identified them as the source of cosmic rays and use them to track the formation and death of star systems and learn more about the universe. Images of superbubbles are produced by coloring telescope data.
A superbubble is a large collection of superheated gas that forms when many stars in a related system die together. Instead of creating a single supernova, stars generate a burst of energy and stellar winds that can create a structure hundreds of light-years in diameter. Special tools are needed to identify superbubbles, because they are not usually found in the visible spectrum. Understanding how and why such phenomena form helps researchers learn more about the nature of the universe.
Researchers have spent over a century baffled by the origins of so-called cosmic rays of electrically charged particles that seemed to be everywhere in the universe. They couldn’t find a rational explanation for their origins, but they definitely knew they existed and knew that planets like Earth benefited from the accompanying star shielding to prevent exposure to harsher cosmic rays. Without the Sun, the Earth would be constantly hit by high-energy particles that would make life impossible.
Using telescopes that look for emissions in the gamma and X-ray range, researchers have finally determined where cosmic rays came from: superbubbles scattered across the universe. A superbubble forms when multiple closely spaced stars die, creating multiple bursts of energy in the form of a supernova. In addition, they also generate stellar winds that swirl and heat the gases to extremely high temperatures. Shells form which enclose the heated gases and create a superbubble.
The solar system actually sits at the center of what used to be a superbubble. Researchers have identified bubbles in various regions of space by looking for their telltale signature. This helps them determine the age of the universe, track the formation and death of star systems, and learn more about the overall composition of the universe. Superbubbles also explain the constant source of cosmic rays that make much of space very hostile to living organisms that cannot survive under conditions of constant exposure to high-energy particles.
Images of superbubbles can be produced by coloring telescope data to show people the specific shape and structure of these phenomena. They are not produced in the shape of a perfect bubble, but rather in a cloud of gas which can be abstract in nature. Some of these conversions used to transform non-visible emissions into an understandable image are quite visually striking. Like other images from deep space, superbubble images are sometimes used in promotional materials for telescopes, astronomy organizations, and government agencies dedicated to space exploration and research.
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