Large Magellanic Cloud observed with eROSITA telescope modules
Large Magellanic Cloud observed with eROSITA telescope modules
This image shows a neighbouring galaxy of the Solar System, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). It was observed during series of image acquisitions performed between 17 and 20 October 2019, using all seven eROSITA telescope modules. The diffuse emission originates from the hot gas between the stars. The nebulous structures in the image are mainly supernova remnants – stellar atmospheres expelled in huge explosions at the end of a massive stars’ lifetime. The most prominent one, SN1987A, can be seen close to the centre of the image as an almost circular, bluish cloud. Large numbers of other sources in the LMC itself include accreting binary stars or stellar clusters with very massive young stars (up to 100 solar masses and more). There are also a number of point sources, which are either foreground stars in the Milky Way or distant active galactic nuclei.
