NASA's Chandra Observatory Finds Cosmic Showers Halt Galaxy Growth

Chandra_591_1024

chandra_591 March 4th, 2015

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Michigan State Univ/M.Voit et al; Optical: NASA/STScI & DSS; H-alpha: Carnegie Obs./Magellan/W.Baade Telescope

A new Chandra study of over 200 galaxy clusters has helped determine how giant black holes at their centers affect the growth and evolution of their host galaxy. This study, which includes Abell 2597 shown here, revealed that an unusual form of cosmic precipitation enables a feedback loop of cooling and heating, stifling star formation in the middle of these galaxy clusters. This image of Abell 2597 contains X-rays from Chandra (blue), optical data from Hubble and the Digitized Sky Survey (yellow), and emission from hydrogen atoms (red) from the Walter Baade Telescope in Chile.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2015/a2597/

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
Abell 2597
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Grouping > Cluster

Distance

Universescale3
1,000,000,000 light years
Chandra_591_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 23h 25m 19.7s
DEC = -12° 7’ 26.6”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
2.1 x 2.1 arcminutes
Constellation
Aquarius

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Yellow Hubble (WFPC2) Optical (R-band) 702.0 nm
Yellow Hubble (WFPC2) Optical (B-band) 450.0 nm
Yellow DSS (DSS2B) Optical (B-band) 443.0 nm
Red Baade (IMACS f/2) Optical (H-alpha) 658.0 nm
Spectrum_xray1
Blue
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Red
Chandra_591_1280
×
ID
591
Subject Category
C.5.5.3  
Subject Name
Abell 2597
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Michigan State Univ/M.Voit et al; Optical: NASA/STScI & DSS; H-alpha: Carnegie Obs./Magellan/W.Baade Telescope
Release Date
2015-03-04
Lightyears
1,000,000,000
Redshift
1,000,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2015/a2597/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Hubble, Hubble, DSS, Magellan/Baade
Instrument
ACIS, WFPC2, WFPC2, DSS2B, IMACS f/2
Color Assignment
Blue, Yellow, Yellow, Yellow, Red
Band
X-ray, Optical, Optical, Optical, Optical
Bandpass
X-ray, R-band, B-band, B-band, H-alpha
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 702, 450, 443, 658
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
351.3322480, -12.1240550
Reference Dimension
3600.0, 3600.0
Reference Pixel
1801.0, 1801.0
Scale
9.55536e-06, 9.5553583e-06
Rotation
-0.02
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 Observatory Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
a2597.tif
Metadata Date
2015-03-04T10:27:52-05:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
1,000,000,000 light years

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