Chandra Release - January 8, 2014

Visual Description: Abell 1795

An X-ray and optical image of galaxy cluster Abell 1795 consists of two main components: a large field-of-view composite image at center, and an inset showing a two panel before and after in X-ray only. The composite image of the cluster contains Chandra X-ray Observatory data in soft blue and optical data from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in pale gold and white. The inset is centered on a dwarf galaxy and shows Chandra data taken between 1999 and 2005 on the left and Chandra data taken after 2005 on the right.  The X-ray image displays a bright blue-white  mottled feature in the center, while the optical image reveals a cluster of galaxies and some foreground stars. In terms of textures, the blue spot in the X-ray image appears almost like a glowing ember but with tiny specks and splotches of light against a dark background. The X-ray flare in the inset looks like a small blue-white dot and provides the key evidence for stellar destruction. A star that wanders too close to a supermassive black hole should be ripped apart by extreme tidal forces. As the stellar debris falls toward the black hole, it should produce intense X-rays as it is heated to millions of degrees. The X-rays should fade as the hot gas spirals inward.