Object Analysis

The Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443) is a galactic supernova remnant found in the constellation Gemini. It is located about 5,000 light-years from Earth. The explosion that created the Jellyfish Nebula happened between 3,000 and 30,000 years ago.

Its name comes from the braided filaments of glowing gas that resemble the tentacles of a jellyfish. These filaments are the result of the shockwave from the supernova explosion interacting with the dense molecular clouds in the surrounding interstellar medium.

The remnant is home to a neutron star, CXOU J061705.3+222127, which is the crushed core of the massive star that exploded. The neutron star is moving rapidly through the debris field, leaving a wake of high-energy particles.