Death Throes

The irregular shock wave from an ancient supernova glows in blues in this image released August 21.

Warm dust particles give off infrared light (colored in red and green above), while the heat generated by the shock wave produces x-rays (colored blue). This supernova is located 7,000 light-years from Earth, and the shock wave is 10 light-years across.

—Jane J. Lee, Photo Editing by Sherry Brukbacher

Photograph by NASA, ESA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/IAFE

Week's Best Space Pictures: A Death Echoes, Space Trash Blazes, And Stars Wheel

A supernova shines, debris streaks across space, and stars wheel around a tower.

August 22, 2014