chandra_213 February 17th, 2000
Credit: NASA/SRON
This X-ray spectrum taken by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory shows details of the energy radiated by the hot gas located around the galaxy's central giant black hole. In what amounts to a cosmic bar code, this spectrum allows scientists to take an inventory of elements, such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen that are present in the multimillion degree gas. It also reveals that some of the hot gas is flowing away from the black hole, probably because of the enormous amount of energy that is being radiated by the extremely hot gas very near the black hole.
Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory
Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2000/0170/
Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA
Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Detailed color mapping information coming soon...
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