More Images: Chandra Helps Astronomers Discover a Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy
X-ray, Radio, & Optical Images of 3C 297
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Torino/V. Missaglia et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI & International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF
Click for large jpg Composite
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Click for large jpg Composite
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Click for large jpg X-ray
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Click for large jpg Optical (Gemini)
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Click for large jpg Optical (Hubble)
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Click for large jpg Infrared
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The galaxy 3C297 has been discovered to be lonelier than expected, implying it has likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies. 3C297 contains a quasar, a supermassive black hole pulling in gas at the center of the galaxy and driving powerful jets of matter seen in radio waves. X-ray data from Chandra, radio data from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and visible data from Gemini suggest that even though 3C297’s surroundings possess many features of a galaxy cluster, all but one galaxy remains. There is also visible light and infrared data from Hubble in this composite. Astronomers think this last large galaxy assimilated the others through its gravitational pull, and may push the limits for how quickly astronomers expect galaxies to grow in the early universe.


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