Supernova remnant 1987 A

A dense circumstellar shell, with radius of about 0.5 lt-yr, surrounds SN 1987 A. In 16 yr or less after outburst, the expanding debris of SN 1987 A will strike this shell. When it does, the hot gas and relativistic electrons resulting from the forward and reverse shocks will radiate X-rays, infrared radiation, and nonthermal radio waves. The remnant of SN 1987 A will then become one of the brightest X-ray and radio sources in the LMC.