Images by Date
Images by Category
Images by Interest
Image Tutorials
Image Use Policy
Web Shortcuts
Open and close menu tab
More Images of NGC 6240
1
Click for large jpg X-ray
Jpeg, Tif
Click for large jpg Optical
Jpeg, Tif

X-ray & Optical Images of NGC 6240
Scientists have used Chandra to make a detailed study of an enormous cloud of hot gas enveloping two large, colliding galaxies in the system known as NGC 6240. This unusually large reservoir of gas contains as much mass as 10 billion Suns, spans about 300,000 light years, radiates at a temperature of more than 7 million degrees, and glows in X-rays. The Chandra data have been combined with optical data from the Hubble, which show long tidal tails from the merging galaxies, extending to the right and bottom of the image.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/SAO/E.Nardini et al); Optical (NASA/STScI))


Return to NGC 6240 (April 30, 2013)