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The Chandra X-Ray Observatory Gallery

<< 2/12 < > A composite X-ray (blue), radio (pink and green), and optical (orange and yellow) image of the galaxy Centaurus A presents a stunning tableau of a galaxy in turmoil. A broad band of dust and cold gas is bisected at an angle by opposing jets of high-energy particles blasting away from the supermassive black hole in the nucleus. Two large arcs of X-ray emitting hot gas were discovered in the outskirts of the galaxy on a plane perpendicular to the jets. The arcs of multimillion degree gas appear to be part of a projected ring 25,000 light years in diameter. The size and location of the ring indicate that it may have been produced in a titanic explosion that occurred about ten million years ago. Credits: X-ray (NASA/CXC/M. Karovska et al.); Radio 21-cm image (NRAO/VLA/Schiminovich, et al.), Radio continuum image (NRAO/VLA/J.Condon et al.); Optical (Digitized Sky Survey U.K. Schmidt Image/STScI)

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