LMC N49

N49 or LMC N49[3] (PKS 0525-66,[1][3] PKS B0525-661,[3] PKS J0525-6604,[3] SNR J052559-660453[1]) is the brightest supernova remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud, approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth. Its form has been assessed to be roughly 5,000 years old.[2]

LMC N49
Supernova remnant
Observation data: J2000.0[1] epoch
Right ascension 05h 26m 01.00s[1]
Declination−66° 05′ 06.0″[1]
Distance160,000[2] ly
Apparent magnitude (V)12.71[1]
ConstellationDorado
Physical characteristics
Dimensions75 ly across[2]
DesignationsLMC N49,[3][1] PKS 0525-66,[3][1] PKS B0525-661,[3][1] PKS J0525-6604,[3][1] SNR J052559-660453[3][1]

The latest pictures of N49 by the Chandra X-ray Observatory have revealed a bullet-shaped object traveling at about 5 million miles an hour away from a bright X-ray and gamma-ray point source, probably a neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field, known as a soft gamma repeater.[2] A particularly strong gamma-ray burst from LMC N49 was detected on March 5, 1979.[4]

References
  1. "SNR J052559-660453". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg.
  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory (2010-05-24). "N49: Stellar Shrapnel Seen in Aftermath of Explosion". Retrieved 2015-10-15.
  3. "PKS 0525-66". NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Encyclopedia.
  4. "N49, an asymmetric supernova remnant in the LMC". 2012-08-30. Retrieved 2015-10-15.
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