Black Hole Jets Make Shock Waves

Spitzer_sig14-020a_1024

spitzer_sig14-020a July 2nd, 2014

Credit: NASA/CXC/NASA/JPL-Caltech

A composite image of the spiral galaxy NGC 4258 showing X-ray emission observed with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and infrared emission observed with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (red and green).

The infrared emission is produced by hydrogen molecules. A labeled version of the image shows the direction of radio jets, along with the location of the supermassive black hole driving these jets and "hotspots," where the jets are striking gas in the galaxy. The X-ray and hydrogen emission are both thought to be caused by shocks, similar to a sonic boom from a supersonic plane. The similarity in location between the X-ray and hydrogen emission and the radio jets implies that the jets have caused the shocks.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5910-sig14-020a-Black-Hole-Jets-Make-Shock-Waves

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Spitzer_sig14-020a_1280
×
ID
sig14-020a
Subject Category
Subject Name
Credits
NASA/CXC/NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date
2014-07-02
Lightyears
Redshift
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5910-sig14-020a-Black-Hole-Jets-Make-Shock-Waves
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
Equinox
Reference Value
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
sig14-020a.tif
Metadata Date
2014-07-02
Metadata Version
1.2
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