Swift

Science Illustration Gallery

These images all illustrate some aspect of Swift science. All images are from NASA E/PO, Sonoma State University, Aurore Simonnet.

Each image can be clicked for a larger version. Please note NASA's Image Use Guidelines.

Learn more about gamma-ray bursts.


Gamma-ray Burst Illustrations

An artist's impression of merging neutron stars, one of the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts.

An artist's impression of merging neutron stars, one of the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts.

An artist's impression of the Christmas gamma-ray burst

An artist's impression of the Christmas gamma-ray burst.


Artist's illustration of a gamma-ray burst occurring in a dusty region of intense star formation.

Artist's illustration of a gamma-ray burst occurring in a dusty region of intense star formation.



Supernova Illustrations

Three types of systems, illustrated here, may host Type Ia supernovae.

Three types of systems, illustrated here, may host Type Ia supernovae.


Artist's rendition of a collapse of the core of a massive star, which has very little visible effect at the surface.

Artist's rendition of a collapse of the core of a massive star, which has very little visible effect at the surface.

Artist's rendition of the twin beams of matter and energy that have eaten their way out of a dying star that will be seen by Earth observers as a gamma-ray burst.

Artist's rendition of the twin beams of matter and energy that have eaten their way out of a dying star that will be seen by Earth observers as a gamma-ray burst.


Artist's rendition of a supernova, which will result in the formation of a magnetar.

Artist's rendition of a supernova that will result in the formation of a magnetar.

Artist's rendition of a dense magnetar, a neutron star possessing a magnetic field trillions or even quadrillions of times stronger that Earth's.

Artist's rendition of a dense magnetar, a neutron star possessing a magnetic field trillions or even quadrillions of times stronger that Earth's.


An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.

An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.


An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.

An extremely massive blue supergiant star in a distant galaxy nears the end of its life.

An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.

An instability develops in the outer layers of the blue supergiant, and it erupts violently, spewing out huge amounts of material at high speed. The star survives, but its time is nearing.


An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.

After two years, the ejected material has formed a shell of gas surrounding the star.

An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.

The star finally runs out of fuel, and the core collapses. The star explodes, ejecting material at speeds greater than 10 million miles per hour.


An artist's rendering of an extremely massive blue supergiant at the end of its life.

The wave of material from the supernova catches up with and slams into the slower, previously-ejected shell of gas. This creates a shock wave which, in turn, generates X-rays.



Neutron star Illustrations

An artist's impression the view from a low-mass planet of its companion pulsar.

An artist's impression the view from a low-mass planet of its companion pulsar.

	
An artist's rendering of a low-mass planet and its pulsar companion.

An artist's rendering of a low-mass planet and its pulsar companion.



Tidal Disruption Illustrations

An asteroid or comet too close to a neutron star being shredded. Gamma rays would be produced as the debris hit the star, as seen in this illustration.

An asteroid or comet too close to a neutron star being shredded. Gamma rays would be produced as the debris hit the star, as seen in this illustration.

Artist's illustration of a star being torn apart due to tidal forces of a black hole resulting in a gamma-ray burst.

Artist's illustration of a star being torn apart due to tidal forces of a black hole resulting in a gamma-ray burst.



Black Hole Illustrations

An artist's conception of biggest stellar-mass black hole (upper left) pulling gas away from a companion Wolf-Rayet star.

An artist's conception of biggest stellar-mass black hole (upper left) pulling gas away from a companion Wolf-Rayet star.

Close-up of the biggest stellar-mass black hole.

Close-up of the biggest stellar-mass black hole.



Active Galactic Nuclei Illustrations

Illustration of the different features of an active galactic nucleus (AGN), and how our viewing angle determines what type of AGN we observe.

Illustration of the different features of an active galactic nucleus (AGN), and how our viewing angle determines what type of AGN we observe.

Artist's conception of a newly discovered type of AGN, one whose center is obscured by gas and dust. The two images below show cross-sections of what the inside of the AGN may look like.

Artist's conception of a newly discovered type of AGN, one whose center is obscured by gas and dust. The two images below show cross-sections of what the inside of the AGN may look like.

Artist's conception of a newly discovered type of AGN, one whose center is obscured by gas and dust.

Artist's conception of a newly discovered type of AGN, one whose center is obscured by gas and dust.


A service of the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC), Dr. Andy Ptak (Director), within the Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA/GSFC