LMC N49

LMC N49
Supernova remnant
Observation data: J2000.0[1] epoch
Right ascension05h 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]
See also: Lists of nebulae

N49 or LMC N49[3] (PKS 0525-66,[1][3] PKS B0525-661,[3] PKS J0525-6604,[3] SNR J052559-660453[1]), also known as Brasil Nebula,[4] 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]

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.[5]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Cite error: The named reference SIMBAD was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Chandra was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cite error: The named reference NED was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Sky & Telescope, august 2004, page 12
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Anne was invoked but never defined (see the help page).