"Unveiling the Legacy: New Portrait of an 800-Year-Old Supernova"
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has captured a composite image of supernova remnant SNR 1181, which exploded in the year 1181 and was recently discovered by modern telescopes. The remnant suggests a special kind of supernova called a sub-luminous Type Iax event, resulting from the merger of two white dwarf stars, leaving behind a "zombie" star. The remnant, one of the hottest stars in the Milky Way, presents a unique opportunity for studying rare explosions, despite the Chandra Observatory facing budget cuts.