1
Illustration of Active Galactic Nucleus
An artist's conception of a rapidly growing black hole, otherwise known as an active galactic nucleus (AGN), in the center of a galaxy. A disk of hot gas is flowing into a central black hole, and is surrounded by a large doughnut or torus of cooler gas and dust. Earlier in the history of the universe, galaxies in clusters of galaxies are thought to have contained a lot more gas than galaxies in clusters do today. This abundance of fuel should mean that the piranha-like black holes were able to thrive in young, distant clusters by growing much faster than their counterparts in nearby clusters. Chandra observations have confirmed this by showing, for the first time, that there are more AGN in younger, more distant galaxy clusters. This illustration also shows jets of high energy particles (white) that are propelled away from the vicinity of the black hole by intense electric and magnetic fields. These jets can heat the gas in galaxy clusters and significantly affect their structure.
(Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
An artist's conception of a rapidly growing black hole, otherwise known as an active galactic nucleus (AGN), in the center of a galaxy. A disk of hot gas is flowing into a central black hole, and is surrounded by a large doughnut or torus of cooler gas and dust. Earlier in the history of the universe, galaxies in clusters of galaxies are thought to have contained a lot more gas than galaxies in clusters do today. This abundance of fuel should mean that the piranha-like black holes were able to thrive in young, distant clusters by growing much faster than their counterparts in nearby clusters. Chandra observations have confirmed this by showing, for the first time, that there are more AGN in younger, more distant galaxy clusters. This illustration also shows jets of high energy particles (white) that are propelled away from the vicinity of the black hole by intense electric and magnetic fields. These jets can heat the gas in galaxy clusters and significantly affect their structure.
(Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
2
Chandra X-ray Images of CL 0542-4100 & CL 0848.6+4453
These are Chandra images of two young, distant galaxy clusters called CL 0542-4100 and CL 0848.6+4453. Red corresponds to low-energy X-rays, the green to intermediate-energy, and the blue to high-energy X-rays. The white circles label the AGN found in the two fields. The left-most source in CL 0848.6+4453 may not be a member of the cluster. The diffuse emission is hot gas in the cluster and other point-like sources in the image are nearly all unrelated to the galaxy cluster.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/Ohio State Univ./J.Eastman et al)
These are Chandra images of two young, distant galaxy clusters called CL 0542-4100 and CL 0848.6+4453. Red corresponds to low-energy X-rays, the green to intermediate-energy, and the blue to high-energy X-rays. The white circles label the AGN found in the two fields. The left-most source in CL 0848.6+4453 may not be a member of the cluster. The diffuse emission is hot gas in the cluster and other point-like sources in the image are nearly all unrelated to the galaxy cluster.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/Ohio State Univ./J.Eastman et al)
Return to CL 0542-4100 & CL 0848.6+4453 Galaxy (24 Jul 07)
Revised: September 23, 2008