Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ of Texas/E.Schlegel et al; Optical: NASA/STScI

Using Chandra observations, astronomers have discovered the nearest supermassive black hole to Earth that is currently undergoing powerful outbursts. This main panel shows the galaxy M51 in visible light from Hubble (red, green, and blue). The box at the top outlines the Chandra image in this study, which focuses on the smaller component of M51, NGC 5195. In the inset, a pair of arcs can be seen in the Chandra data (blue) and is evidence for outbursts from the supermassive black hole at the center of NGC 5195. Such outbursts are important in the evolution of the black hole and the galaxy it inhabits.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2016/ngc5195/

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

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