Chandra X-ray & VLA Radio Images of G11.2-0.3
By combining X-ray and radio observations, astronomers have evidence that G11.2-0.3 is likely the result of the explosive death of such a massive star, perhaps witnessed in 386 A.D. Radio observations measure the remnant's expansion rate, which, in turn, can be used to calculate how long ago the star exploded. The radio data is consistent with association of the supernova remnant with the "guest star" reported by Chinese astronomers nearly 2,000 years ago. Chandra's ability to pinpoint the pulsar at nearly the very center of G11.2-0.3 also supports the idea that this debris field could have been created around the time of the Chinese observations.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Eureka Scientific/M.Roberts et al.; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF )