This is a three-color X-ray image taken by Chandra of the supernova remnant RCW 103. This supernova remnant is an unusual system: it’s young, but unlike other remnants of its age, metal-rich ejecta hadn’t previously been discovered in it. In this paper, Kari Frank (Pennsylvania State University) and collaborators analyze the three deepest Chandra observations of RCW 103 and find the first evidence for metal-rich ejecta emission scattered throughout the remnant. Their analyses also help to constrain the identity of the mysterious compact stellar object powering the remnant. In this image, red = 0.3–0.85 keV, green = 0.85–1.70 keV, and blue = 1.7–3.0 keV; click on the image for the full view. For more information and the original image, see the paper here:
Kari A. Frank et al 2015 ApJ 810 113 doi:10.1088/0004-637X/810/2/113.