X Rays from the Perseus Cluster Core
Explanation:
The Perseus Cluster of thousands of galaxies,
250 million light-years distant, is
one of
the most massive objects
in
the Universe and the brightest galaxy cluster in the
x-ray sky.
At its core lies the giant
cannibal galaxy Perseus A
(NGC
1275), accreting matter as
gas and galaxies fall into it.
This deep
Chandra Observatory x-ray image spans about 300,000 light-years
across the galaxy cluster core.
It shows
remarkable details
of x-ray emission from the monster galaxy and
surrounding hot (30-70 million degrees C) cluster gas.
The bright central source is the supermassive
black
hole at the core of Perseus A itself.
Low density regions are seen as dark bubbles or voids,
believed to be generated by cyclic outbursts of activity
from the central black hole.
The activity creates pressure waves -
sound waves on a cosmic scale-
that ripple through the x-ray hot gas.
Dramatically, the blue-green wisps just above centre in the
false-color view are likely x-ray shadows of
the remains of a small galaxy falling into the burgeoning
Perseus A.
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.
