Hot Gas and Dark Matter
Credit & Copyright: ESA,
NASA, R. Mushotzky
Explanation:
Is the gravity of the above galaxies high enough to contain the glowing hot
gas? Superposed on an optical picture of a group of galaxies is an image
taken in
X-ray light.
The X-ray picture, taken by
ROSAT, shows confined
hot gas highlighted in false red color, and provides clear evidence that
the gravity exerted in groups and clusters of galaxies exceeds all
the individual component galaxies combined. The extra gravity is
attributed to
dark matter,
the nature and abundance of which is the biggest
mystery in astronomy today.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
