Chandra Tracks Evolution Of X-Ray Jets

Chandra_137_1024

chandra_137 October 3rd, 2002

Credit: Left: X-ray (NASA/CXC); Right: Illustration (CXC/M.Weiss)

A series of images from Chandra has revealed the evolution of large-scale X-ray jets traveling at near the speed of light. Following an outburst of X-rays from the black hole, observations with Chandra and radio telescopes detected first one jet (left), then another opposing jet (right) of high-energy particles moving away from the black hole at about half the speed of light. Four years after the outburst, the jets had moved more than 3 light years apart with the left jet slowing down and disappearing. The schematic shows gaseous matter being pulled from a normal star to form a disk around the black hole. When the gas is heated to temperatures of millions of degrees it gives off X-rays and intense electromagnetic forces in the disk can expel jets of high-energy particles.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2002/xtej1550/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details

Image Type
Collage
Object Name
XTE J1550-564
Subject - Milky Way
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Black Hole
Star > Type > Exotic

Distance

Universescale1
17,000 light years

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 15h 50m 58.8s
DEC = -56° 28’ 35.0”
Constellation
Norma

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS/HETG) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Spectrum_xray1
Blue
Chandra_137_1280
×
ID
137
Subject Category
B.3.1.10   B.3.2.6.1  
Subject Name
XTE J1550-564
Credits
Left: X-ray (NASA/CXC); Right: Illustration (CXC/M.Weiss)
Release Date
2002-10-03
Lightyears
17,000
Redshift
17,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2002/xtej1550/
Type
Collage
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra
Instrument
ACIS/HETG
Color Assignment
Blue
Band
X-ray
Bandpass
X-ray
Central Wavelength
0.8267
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
2000.0
Reference Value
237.745, -56.4763888888889
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
xtej1550_collage.tif
Metadata Date
2012-08-22T16:53:25-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
17,000 light years

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