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More Images of Hot Intergalactic Gas
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NGC 891: Shadow Reveals
Intergalactic Hot Gas
The optical image (left) of NGC 891 shows a dark disk
of dust and gas, with contours outlining the region
where the X-ray shadow of the galaxy is darkest. The
Chandra image (right) shows a few point-like sources
due to neutron stars and black holes, and a shadow cast
by the galaxy on an otherwise bright background of
X-rays. This shadow is evidence for a source of X-rays
beyond the galaxy. These X-rays are thought to come
from a vast, distant intergalactic cloud of
multimillion degree gas.
(Credit:
NASA/CXC/U.Mich./J.Bregman & J.Irwin)
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Illustration of Absorption by
Intergalactic Gas
In this artist's rendition, X-rays from a distant
quasar traveling toward Earth and the Chandra X-ray
Observatory are shown as waves of colored light. As
they pass through a cloud of intergalactic gas, which
appears as the white, filamentary structure, some of
the X-rays are absorbed.
(Credit:
SAO/CXC/A.Hobart)
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X-ray Spectrum of PKS
2155-304
This figure shows how oxygen ions in the clouds
produce dips in the spectrum, or X-ray energy
signature, of the quasar PKS 2155-304. A careful study
of these dips enables astronomers to estimate the
temperature, density, and mass of the absorbing
gas.
(Credit: NASA/MIT/T.Fang et
al.)
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X-ray Image of NGC 891
The Chandra image of NGC 891 shows a few point-like
sources due to neutron stars and black holes, and a
shadow cast by the galaxy on an otherwise bright
background of X-rays. This shadow is evidence for a
source of X-rays beyond the galaxy. These X-rays are
thought to come from a vast, distant intergalactic
cloud of multimillion degree gas.
(Credit:
NASA/CXC/U.Mich./J.Bregman & J.Irwin)
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Gas (13 Jul 02)
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