Chandra Casts Cloud On Alternative To Dark Matter

Chandra_138_1024

chandra_138 October 22nd, 2002

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UCI/D.Buote et al., Optical: DSS U.K.Schmidt Image/STScI

Chandra's image reveals a galaxy enveloped in a slightly flattened or ellipsoidal cloud of 7 million-degree Celsius gas. The shape and orientation of the hot cloud are different from that of the optical image of the galaxy. This means that a massive halo of dark matter is needed to keep the hot gas from expanding away. Alternate theories of gravity that eliminate the need for dark matter cannot explain the observed shape and orientation of the cloud. The Chandra data also fit predictions of a cold dark matter model. According to this model, dark matter consists of slowly moving particles which interact with each other and "normal" matter only through gravity.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2002/0021/

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
NGC 720
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Activity > Normal

Distance

Universescale2
80,000,000 light years

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 1h 53m 0.6s
DEC = -13° 44’ 18.2”
Constellation
Cetus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Pseudocolor Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 751.5 pm
Yellow DSS (UKST Blue) Optical (R-band) 590.0 nm
Spectrum_xray1
Pseudocolor
Yellow
Chandra_138_1280
×
ID
138
Subject Category
C.5.3.1  
Subject Name
NGC 720
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/UCI/D.Buote et al., Optical: DSS U.K.Schmidt Image/STScI
Release Date
2002-10-22
Lightyears
80,000,000
Redshift
80,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2002/0021/
Type
Collage
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, DSS
Instrument
ACIS, UKST Blue
Color Assignment
Pseudocolor, Yellow
Band
X-ray, Optical
Bandpass
X-ray, R-band
Central Wavelength
0.751515152, 590
Start Time
2000-10-12T21:04:44, 1982-08-08
Integration Time
40120, 3600
Dataset ID
492
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
28.2523408, -13.7383808
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
WCS retrieved using CXCs PinpointWCS
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 Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
0021_xray_dssopt_comp.tif
Metadata Date
2012-07-27T16:27:12-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
80,000,000 light years

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