Because Cassiopeia A is the result of an explosion, the stellar debris is expanding radially outwards from the explosion center. Using simple geometry and the Doppler effect, we can create a 3-D model. That data were actually imported into a program originally used for brain imaging, which was then modified for astronomy data by the Astronomical Medicine Project at Harvard.

The insight into the structure of Cas A gained from this 3-D visualization is important for astronomers who build models of supernova explosions. Now, they must consider that the outer layers of the star come off spherically, but the inner layers come out more disk-like with high-velocity jets in multiple directions.

This example, (shown left) was printed at 0.2mm layer height, 10% in-fill, 2 shells with MakerBot PLA filament at an extruder temperature of 215 C with a raft and supports. To make your 3D printed model more accurate, you will want to remove as much of the supporting material and raft as possible. Great care should be taken when performing this task to avoid breaking the jets. Most of the material will break off easily by hand, but you can get more accurate results enlisting the help of a few tools. If you have access to a heat gun, or hair drier, the plastic wisps left over from the supports can be removed by quickly applying a blast of heat. Be careful not to overheat, and melt the plastic. Additionally, you can use a Dremel or other similar rotary tool to sand away rough spots and carve out some of the interior gaps. As a final tip, you could use a soldering iron to weld some extra plastic to the base of the jets to reinforce them.

Author/Origin/License: NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, Public Domain