Images of Long Galaxy Tail
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This sequence of images begins with a wide-field view of Abell 3627, a giant cluster of galaxies, as seen in X-rays by ESA's XMM-Newton observatory. The view then zooms into an area that shows the galaxy ESO 137-001 as it plunges toward the cluster. First shown in optical light (white) then hydrogen emission (red), the image then turns to the multimillion-degree gas observed NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The final image is a composite of all of these data showing the long tail behind ESO 137-001 that is creating stars in its wake.
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(Credit: X-ray: Chandra X-ray: NASA/CXC/MSU/M.Sun et al; XMM-Newton X-ray ESA/MSU/M.Sun et al; H-alpha/Optical: SOAR (MSU/NOAO/UNC/CNPq-Brazil)/M.Sun et al. )