1. Illustrations of Disks around Black Holes
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These two illustrations show the difference between the very biggest supermassive black holes in the Universe and relatively smaller ones. In each case, the black hole is swallowing large amounts of gas from a surrounding disk. The first illustration is of a black hole with a mass between about 10 million and 100 million Suns. Here, the central black hole is obscured by a thick donut-shaped cloud of dust and gas. The second shows the growth of a larger black hole, with a mass greater than 100 million Suns. This black hole is surrounded by much a thinner torus of dust and gas.
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(NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
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These two illustrations show the difference between the very biggest supermassive black holes in the Universe and relatively smaller ones. In each case, the black hole is swallowing large amounts of gas from a surrounding disk. The first illustration is of a black hole with a mass between about 10 million and 100 million Suns. Here, the central black hole is obscured by a thick donut-shaped cloud of dust and gas. The second shows the growth of a larger black hole, with a mass greater than 100 million Suns. This black hole is surrounded by much a thinner torus of dust and gas.
[Runtime: 0:12]
(NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: Lockman Hole
2. Comparison of Obscured AGN Spectrum and XMM Spectrum
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This sequence of illustrations begins by showing an active galactic nucleus (AGN), a supermassive black hole that is swallowing large amounts of gas via a disk. In the type of AGN shown here the central black hole is obscured by a thick donut-shaped cloud of dust and gas. A representation of the X-ray spectrum, or X-ray energy signature, of a typical obscured AGN is then shown in yellow, followed by the XMM spectrum of the event in RX J1242-11 (shown in blue). The clear difference between the obscured AGN spectrum and the XMM spectrum shows that RX J1242-11 is not an obscured AGN. An optical spectrum obtained earlier with HST rules out the possibility that RX J1242-11 is a "normal" AGN, where the nucleus containing the black hole is not obscured by dust and gas.
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(Spectrum: ESA/XMM-Newton/S.Komossa et al.; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
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This sequence of illustrations begins by showing an active galactic nucleus (AGN), a supermassive black hole that is swallowing large amounts of gas via a disk. In the type of AGN shown here the central black hole is obscured by a thick donut-shaped cloud of dust and gas. A representation of the X-ray spectrum, or X-ray energy signature, of a typical obscured AGN is then shown in yellow, followed by the XMM spectrum of the event in RX J1242-11 (shown in blue). The clear difference between the obscured AGN spectrum and the XMM spectrum shows that RX J1242-11 is not an obscured AGN. An optical spectrum obtained earlier with HST rules out the possibility that RX J1242-11 is a "normal" AGN, where the nucleus containing the black hole is not obscured by dust and gas.
[Runtime: 0:14]
(Spectrum: ESA/XMM-Newton/S.Komossa et al.; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: RX J1242-11
3. Illustrations Explaining Tidal Disruption
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The first illustration in this sequence shows a doomed star (orange circle) that wanders so close to a giant black hole that the black hole's enormous gravity stretches the star until it is torn apart. Some of the disrupted star's mass (indicated by the white stream) is swallowed by the black hole, while the rest is flung away into the surrounding galaxy. The second illustration shows how the gas that was pulled towards the black hole forms a disk and is heated before being swallowed by the black hole. The third illustration shows a much fainter disk, after about ten years have elapsed, when most of the gas has been swallowed by the black hole.
[Runtime: 0:12]
(NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
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The first illustration in this sequence shows a doomed star (orange circle) that wanders so close to a giant black hole that the black hole's enormous gravity stretches the star until it is torn apart. Some of the disrupted star's mass (indicated by the white stream) is swallowed by the black hole, while the rest is flung away into the surrounding galaxy. The second illustration shows how the gas that was pulled towards the black hole forms a disk and is heated before being swallowed by the black hole. The third illustration shows a much fainter disk, after about ten years have elapsed, when most of the gas has been swallowed by the black hole.
[Runtime: 0:12]
(NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: RX J1242-11
4. Comparison of X-ray to Optical Data
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This image sequence begins with an earlier X-ray (ROSAT satellite) image of the source RX J1242-11 when astronomers saw it in its brightest state. Next, the sequence zooms into a smaller region at the center, before merging to a Chandra image of RX J1242-11. Obtained 9 years later, the Chandra image shows that the source is 200 times fainter, a characteristic of a torn apart star near a black hole. The sequence then dissolves to an optical image of the same field. The white circle shows the position of the Chandra source on the visible-light image, proving this event occurred in the center of RX J1242-11.
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(ROSAT image: MPE; Optical: MPE/S.Komossa; Chandra: NASA/CXC/MPE/S.Komossa et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
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This image sequence begins with an earlier X-ray (ROSAT satellite) image of the source RX J1242-11 when astronomers saw it in its brightest state. Next, the sequence zooms into a smaller region at the center, before merging to a Chandra image of RX J1242-11. Obtained 9 years later, the Chandra image shows that the source is 200 times fainter, a characteristic of a torn apart star near a black hole. The sequence then dissolves to an optical image of the same field. The white circle shows the position of the Chandra source on the visible-light image, proving this event occurred in the center of RX J1242-11.
[Runtime: 0:10]
(ROSAT image: MPE; Optical: MPE/S.Komossa; Chandra: NASA/CXC/MPE/S.Komossa et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: RX J1242-11
5. Animation of Star Ripped Apart
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This animation shows a yellow star that travels too close to a giant black hole in the center of the galaxy RX J1242-11. As it nears, the star is stretched by tidal forces from the black hole and is quickly torn apart. Most of the yellow gaseous debris from the star escapes the black hole in parabolic orbits. However, a small amount of material is captured by the black hole and then forms a rotating disk of gas. X-rays are emitted as the gas in the disk is heated (as shown by the blue color) and is gradually swallowed by the black hole, eventually emptying the disk.
[Runtime: 0:43]
(ESA)
Related Chandra Images:
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This animation shows a yellow star that travels too close to a giant black hole in the center of the galaxy RX J1242-11. As it nears, the star is stretched by tidal forces from the black hole and is quickly torn apart. Most of the yellow gaseous debris from the star escapes the black hole in parabolic orbits. However, a small amount of material is captured by the black hole and then forms a rotating disk of gas. X-rays are emitted as the gas in the disk is heated (as shown by the blue color) and is gradually swallowed by the black hole, eventually emptying the disk.
[Runtime: 0:43]
(ESA)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: RX J1242-11
6. NOAO Optical and Chandra X-ray Sequence of M74
QuicktimeMPEG This sequence starts with an optical image of the galaxy M74 (a.k.a. NGC 628), which is about 32 million light years from Earth in the constellation Pisces. The view then adds Chandra's X-ray image and zooms onto one source in the galaxy's spiral arm. Astronomers believe this object, named CXOU J013651.1+154547, is a medium-size black hole, which would bridge the size gap between other known black holes.
[Runtime: 0:22]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.; Optical: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
Related Chandra Images:
QuicktimeMPEG This sequence starts with an optical image of the galaxy M74 (a.k.a. NGC 628), which is about 32 million light years from Earth in the constellation Pisces. The view then adds Chandra's X-ray image and zooms onto one source in the galaxy's spiral arm. Astronomers believe this object, named CXOU J013651.1+154547, is a medium-size black hole, which would bridge the size gap between other known black holes.
[Runtime: 0:22]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.; Optical: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: M74
7. Simulation of a Galaxy Collision
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This visualization shows two spiral galaxies - each with supermassive black holes at their center - as they collide. In this simulation, the brightness represents gas density while the color indicates temperature in the gas distribution. The latest Chandra results suggest that such collisions may cause extreme black hole and galaxy growth in the early Universe, setting the stage for the birth of quasars. The time scale shown in the upper left of the simulation represents millions of years.
[Runtime: 0:41]
(Tiziana Di Matteo (MPE/CMU), Volker Springel (MPE) & Lars Hernquist (Harvard))
Related Chandra Images:
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This visualization shows two spiral galaxies - each with supermassive black holes at their center - as they collide. In this simulation, the brightness represents gas density while the color indicates temperature in the gas distribution. The latest Chandra results suggest that such collisions may cause extreme black hole and galaxy growth in the early Universe, setting the stage for the birth of quasars. The time scale shown in the upper left of the simulation represents millions of years.
[Runtime: 0:41]
(Tiziana Di Matteo (MPE/CMU), Volker Springel (MPE) & Lars Hernquist (Harvard))
Related Chandra Images:
8. Chandra's X-ray Image of Black Holes in the Early Universe
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This sequence begins with the Chandra Deep Field-North, the deepest X-ray image ever taken. Black holes that are also found in submillimeter observations, indicating active star formation in their host galaxies, are then marked. The view then zooms onto one pair of particularly close black holes (known as SMG 123616.1+621513). Astronomers believe these black holes and their galaxies are orbiting each other and will eventually merge. The sequence ends by showing an animation of this scenario.
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(X-ray image: NASA/CXC/Penn State/D. Alexander et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
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This sequence begins with the Chandra Deep Field-North, the deepest X-ray image ever taken. Black holes that are also found in submillimeter observations, indicating active star formation in their host galaxies, are then marked. The view then zooms onto one pair of particularly close black holes (known as SMG 123616.1+621513). Astronomers believe these black holes and their galaxies are orbiting each other and will eventually merge. The sequence ends by showing an animation of this scenario.
[Runtime: 0:33]
(X-ray image: NASA/CXC/Penn State/D. Alexander et al.)
Related Chandra Images:
9. Best of Chandra Images: Black Holes, Jets & Quasars
QuicktimeMPEG Black holes are so dense and compact that nothing -- not even light -- can escape. Just outside their grasp, though, black holes can alight galaxies by expelling infalling gas and stars (known as quasars), or generate powerful high-energy jets flowng from spiraling disks that surround them. This video presents some of the best Chandra observations of black holes, jets & quasars.
[Runtime: 1:11]
(NASA/CXC/SAO)
QuicktimeMPEG Black holes are so dense and compact that nothing -- not even light -- can escape. Just outside their grasp, though, black holes can alight galaxies by expelling infalling gas and stars (known as quasars), or generate powerful high-energy jets flowng from spiraling disks that surround them. This video presents some of the best Chandra observations of black holes, jets & quasars.
[Runtime: 1:11]
(NASA/CXC/SAO)
10. Scenario Dismissed by Chandra Results
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This sequence of artist's renderings shows the scenario ruled out by the latest Chandra results. In this model, a cluster with both low (red) and high (blue) mass stars is drawn toward the black hole. Eventually, the strong gravitational forces would rip the cluster apart, sending its constituent stars into orbit around the black hole.
[Runtime: 0:10]
View Stills
(Illustrations: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
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This sequence of artist's renderings shows the scenario ruled out by the latest Chandra results. In this model, a cluster with both low (red) and high (blue) mass stars is drawn toward the black hole. Eventually, the strong gravitational forces would rip the cluster apart, sending its constituent stars into orbit around the black hole.
[Runtime: 0:10]
View Stills
(Illustrations: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
Related Chandra Images:
- Photo Album: Sagittarius A*
Revised: December 07, 2011