Galactic Super-volcano in Action

Chandra_460_1024

chandra_460 August 18th, 2010

Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/KIPAC/N. Werner,

This composite image shows the eruption of a galactic "super-volcano" in the galaxy M87. X-rays from Chandra (blue) show the cluster surrounding M87 is filled with hot gas. As this gas cools, it can fall toward the galaxy's center where it should continue to cool even faster and form new stars. Radio observations with the VLA (red-orange) suggest that jets of very energetic particles produced by the black hole interrupt this process. This interaction shares similar properties to an Icelandic volcano that erupted in the spring of 2010.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2010/m87/

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
M87
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Elliptical
Galaxy > Size > Giant
Galaxy > Activity > AGN > Quasar

Distance

Universescale2
50,000,000 light years
Chandra_460_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 12h 30m 47.5s
DEC = 12° 23’ 11.9”
Orientation
North is 89.9° CW
Field of View
14.2 x 13.8 arcminutes
Constellation
Virgo

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 2.48 nm
Red NRAO (VLA) Radio (P-Band) 900.0 mm
Spectrum_xray2
Blue
Red
Chandra_460_1280
×
ID
460
Subject Category
C.5.1.4   C.5.2.1   C.5.3.2.1  
Subject Name
M87
Credits
X-ray (NASA/CXC/KIPAC/N. Werner,
Release Date
2010-08-18
Lightyears
50,000,000
Redshift
50,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2010/m87/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, NRAO
Instrument
ACIS, VLA
Color Assignment
Blue, Red
Band
X-ray, Radio
Bandpass
X-ray, P-Band
Central Wavelength
2.48, 9e8
Start Time
-, 1998-07-12
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
187.6981178, 12.3866467
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 3483.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1742.5
Scale
6.58008e-05, 6.5800829e-05
Rotation
-89.91
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
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
m87.tif
Resource URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2010/m87/m87.tif
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2011-12-02
Metadata Version
1.2
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
50,000,000 light years

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