X-ray & Optical Images of B3 0727+409
Jets in the early Universe give astronomers a way to probe the growth of black holes at a very early epoch in the cosmos. Using Chandra, astronomers recently discovered a jet in X-rays being illuminated by the cosmic microwave background. The light from this jet was emitted when the Universe was only one fifth of its present age. Chandra's X-ray data as well as an optical image of the area are shown in these images.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ISAS/A.Simionescu et al, Optical: DSS)