Galaxy Collision Causes Role Reversal

Chandra_349_1024

chandra_349 March 29th, 2007

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Bristol/Worrall et al.; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF

X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and radio observations from the NSF's Very Large Array show that a role reversal is taking place in the middle of 3C442A. Chandra detects hot gas (blue) that has been pushing aside the radio-bright gas (orange). This is the opposite of what is typically found in these systems when jets from the supermassive black hole in the center create cavities in the hot gas surrounding the galaxy. Astronomers believe an impending merger with another galaxy has caused the unusual dynamics in this system.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2007/3c442a/

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

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

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
3C442A
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Grouping > Multiple
Galaxy > Type > Interacting

Distance

Universescale3
390,000,000 light years
Chandra_349_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 22h 14m 47.9s
DEC = 13° 54’ 14.1”
Orientation
North is 0.1° CW
Field of View
20.2 x 12.6 arcminutes
Constellation
Pegasus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray 826.7 pm
Orange VLA (VLA) Radio (1.4GHz) 214.0 mm
Spectrum_xray2
Blue
Orange
Chandra_349_1280
×
ID
349
Subject Category
C.5.5.2.   C.5.1.7.  
Subject Name
3C442A
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Bristol/Worrall et al.; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF
Release Date
2007-03-29
Lightyears
390,000,000
Redshift
390,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2007/3c442a/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, VLA
Instrument
ACIS, VLA
Color Assignment
Blue, Orange
Band
X-ray, Radio
Bandpass
-, 1.4GHz
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 2.14e8
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
2000.0
Reference Value
333.69952390000, 13.90392017000
Reference Dimension
2400.00, 1500.00
Reference Pixel
1108.44553322479, 320.56752720707
Scale
-0.00014049677, 0.00014049677
Rotation
-0.10282762945
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
World Coordinate System resolved using PinpointWCS 0.9.0 revision 213+ by the Chandra X-ray Center
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
3c442a.tif
Metadata Date
2012-04-13
Metadata Version
1.2
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
390,000,000 light years

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