NASA’s Chandra Diagnoses Cause of Fracture in Galactic “Bone”

This image shows a structure that resembles a fractured bone called G359.13142- 0.20005 (G359.13 for short) near the center of our Galaxy. X-ray data from Chandra and MeerKAT radio data reveal that this ‘bone’ has been struck by a fast-moving, rapidly spinning neutron star, or pulsar. Neutron stars are the densest known stars and form from the collapse and explosion of massive stars. They often receive a powerful kick from these explosions, sending them away from the explosion’s location. Astronomers estimate the pulsar that caused this fracture was traveling between one and two million miles per hour.