APOD: 2019 March 5 - X-Ray Superbubbles in Galaxy NGC 3079
X-Ray Superbubbles in Galaxy NGC 3079
Image Credit: X-ray: NASA, CXC, U. Michigan, J-T Li et al.; Optical: NASA, STScIExplanation: What created these huge galactic superbubbles? Two of these
unusual bubbles, each spanning thousands of
light-years, were recently discovered near the center of
spiral galaxy NGC 3079.
The superbubbles, shown in purple on the image right, are so hot they emit X-rays detected by
NASA's Earth-orbiting
Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Since the bubbles straddle the center of NGC 3079, a
leading hypothesis is that they were somehow created by the interaction of the central
supermassive black hole with surrounding gas. Alternatively, the
superbubbles might have been created primarily by the
energetic winds from many young and hot stars near that galaxy's center. The only similar known phenomenon is the
gamma-ray emitting Fermi bubbles emanating from the center of our Milky Way Galaxy,
discovered 10 years ago in images taken by NASA's
Fermi satellite. Research into the nature of the
NGC 3079 superbubbles will surely continue, as well as searches for high-energy superbubbles in other galaxies.
Tomorrow's picture: strangely spotless sun
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario