We report the detection of a point source CXO J172337.5-373442 in a Chandra field with a high significance ( 26.7 \sigma ) , and the discovery ( 4 \sigma ) of a 48 ^ { \prime \prime } long X-ray tail emanating from the point source .
The X-ray spectra of both the point source and the tail are well described with a single absorbed powerlaw , and the tail is harder ( powerlaw index \Gamma = 0.14 ^ { +0.59 } _ { -0.68 } ) than the point source ( \Gamma = 1.78 ^ { +0.13 } _ { -0.11 } ) .
From this first detailed spatial , spectral and timing X-ray analysis of CXO J172337.5-373442 , and from a plausible optical counterpart found from the archives , we conclude that this source is either a Galactic High-Mass X-ray Binary with an X-ray jet or a Galactic pulsar with its “ pulsar wind nebula ” seen as the X-ray tail .
Although , the currently available data are not enough to distinguish between these two candidates with certainty , a detailed comparison of their known properties with those of CXO J172337.5-373442 favours the latter type .
If this identification is correct , then the pulsar should be middle-aged or old , that has escaped from its supernova remnant , and the X-ray tail should originate from the synchrotron emission from either of the following locations : ( 1 ) a shocked region , or ( 2 ) a jet emanating from the pulsar ’ s magnetosphere .