X-ray & Optical Images of M51
Researchers using Chandra data have identified a fourth ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), dubbed ULX8, as being a neutron star. These results provide clues about how these objects can shine so brightly in X-rays. The newly characterized ULX is located in the Whirlpool galaxy, also known as M51. These images of the Whirlpool show X-rays from Chandra and optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope. The ULX is marked with a circle.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Caltech/M. Brightman et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI )