The Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched into space on the Space Shuttle Columbia in the summer of 1999. It has been orbiting our planet ever since and provides us with data not obtainable through other methods. It has captured some of the most interesting snapshots of objects from both inside and outside of our solar system.
Chandra helps researchers explore the hottest parts of the universe and learn things previously unknown about the vast unexplored territory of outer space. To the hopelessly curious, the exploration of the unknown universe is one of the most important human endeavors possible.
The more information we gather about the universe, the more we come to understand our place in it and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory is helping us learn at a faster rate.
NASA has recently released a series of images taken by the Chandra X-Ray Observatory that has been combined with data from other telescopes. Below are some of the most interesting snapshots of what the Chandra has captured.
M82
This image shows gases escaping from M 82, which is a galaxy roughly 11.42 million light-years away. Also referred to as Messier 82 or the Cigar Galaxy, it is known as a “starburst galaxy,” meaning that it has a high rate of star formation. The escaping pink and blue gases are amongst the prettiest sites you could ever expect to see with a telescope.
Abell 2744
The image here is of Abell 2744, occasionally referred to as Pandora’s Cluster. In a nutshell, this is a galaxy believed to have formed when 4 smaller and separate galaxies all collided with one another. It is enormous in size and according to NASA, is one of the largest objects anywhere in space.
SN 1987A
The image above is of Supernova 1987a. This massive stellar explosion was discovered by researchers in 1987 (hence its name). It was found to be from a nearby dwarf galaxy named the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Chandra image shows the location of the shock wave from the supernova, which is the blue color that appears as though it’s the object’s outer ring.
Eta Carinae
Eta Carinae is a stellar system that contains at least two very luminous stars. The primary star in the system, Eta Carinae A, is currently classified as a luminous blue variable star but is also thought to be a young O-type. Its luminosity is believed to be more than 5 million times that of our solar system’s Sun. These types of stars often end in huge supernova explosions.
Helix Nebula
The Helix Nebula is a dying star that is discarding dust and gas. The images from the Chandra show the dust and gas escaping from the star’s inner pink glow. It almost looks like an eyeball with a piercing pink pupil. It is located in the constellation Aquarius and was first discovered in the early 1800s.
Cartwheel Galaxy
The Cartwheel Galaxy just sounds like a fun spot in the universe, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it will likely not become a vacation spot for Earthlings until some serious advancements have been made in space travel. It is located about 500 million light-years away. The galaxy’s unusual structure is highlighted through the Chandra’s X-Ray imaging. Its shape is thought to be a result of colliding with another galaxy at some point in its past.
Cassiopeia A
The supernova Cassiopeia A is believed to have taken place around 1680. There is no record of people having witnessed the event but it would have been hard not to if you were around at the time. When it happened, this massive supernova would have been the brightest thing in the sky. One of the first images the Chandra attempted to capture upon its launch in 1999 was this supernova remnant. The glowing debris in the image has been enhanced by the Chandra’s X-ray imaging. The explosion took place inside the Milky Way galaxy approximately 11,000 light-years away.
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