In News:

Astronomers have discovered a likely explanation for a fracture in a huge cosmic "bone" in the Milky Way galaxy, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and radio telescopes.

About G359.13-0.20005 ("The Snake")

• G359.13 is a non-thermal filament in the Milky Way, resembling a "galactic bone."
• It stretches about 230 light-years and is located ~26,000 light-years from Earth, near the Galactic Center.
• These filaments are visible primarily in radio waves and aligned with galactic magnetic field lines.
• Emissions result from charged particles spiraling along magnetic fields, producing synchrotron radiation.

Key Discovery

• A fracture has been observed in the continuous structure of G359.13.
• This fracture aligns with the location of a pulsar, identified using:
  • Chandra X-ray Observatory (X-ray data)
  • MeerKAT and VLA (radio data)

About the Pulsar

• A highly magnetized, fast-moving neutron star formed by a supernova explosion.
• Estimated speed: 1–2 million miles per hour.
• The pulsar likely collided with G359.13, causing:
  • Distortion in the magnetic field
  • Fracture in the radio filament
• Chandra data revealed blue-colored X-ray emissions from the pulsar.
• Nearby X-ray sources may be from electrons and positrons accelerated to high energies.

Scientific Significance

• Provides insights into:
  • High-energy astrophysical processes
  • Pulsar interactions with galactic magnetic structures

Chandra X-ray Observatory – Key Facts

• Launched: July 23, 1999, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-93)
• Function: Detects X-ray emissions from hot cosmic objects (e.g., black holes, supernova remnants)
• Orbit: High Earth orbit (~139,000 km altitude) to avoid atmospheric X-ray absorption
• Part of NASA’s “Great Observatories” (with Hubble, Spitzer, Compton)
• Capabilities:
  • 8x better resolution than previous X-ray missions
  • Detects X-ray sources 20 times fainter than predecessors
• Managed by: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center