Description:
SNR G116.9+0.2, also known as CTB 1, is a supernova remnant located in the constellation Cassiopeia, around 10,000 light-years away from Earth. It's the aftermath of a massive star's explosive death—an event that occurred tens of thousands of years ago.
What makes CTB 1 particularly fascinating is its shell-like structure. The remnant forms a roughly circular bubble of energized gas and magnetic fields, about 100 light-years in diameter, slowly expanding into the interstellar medium.
CTB 1 is categorized as a mixed-morphology supernova remnant, meaning it shows a radio-bright outer shell and X-ray emission from its interior. This combination suggests interactions with surrounding dense clouds and the presence of hot plasma trapped inside the remnant.
Researchers believe CTB 1 may have been formed by a core-collapse supernova, and there is evidence of a neutron star or pulsar left behind—an incredibly dense, spinning remnant of the original star's core.
CTB-1 was initially classified as an unidentified radio source in the 1960 CTB catalogue by Wilson and Bolton, which listed supernova remnants and other radio sources within the Galactic plane.