M84

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Chandra X-ray
Observatory Center
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
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M84: A massive elliptical galaxy about 55 million light years away in the Virgo Cluster.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/MPE/A.Finoguenov et al.); Radio (NSF/NRAO/VLA/ESO/R.A.Laing et al); Optical (SDSS))

Caption: This is a composite image of M84 with X-ray data from Chandra (blue) and radio emission from the Very Large Array (red) overlaid on an optical image. A number of bubbles generated from the supermassive black hole at the center of this giant galaxy are visible in this image. The particles that create these bubbles travel outward from the black hole in the form of a two-sided jet. Smaller bubbles are found within larger ones, and this nesting provides clear evidence for repeated outbursts from the central black hole.

Scale: Image is 9 arcmin across.

Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS Image

CXC operated for NASA by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
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