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X-ray, Infrared & Optical Images of Antennae
The Antennae galaxies are a pair of colliding galaxies about 62 million light years from Earth. These images show X-rays from Chandra, optical data from Hubble, and infrared data from Spitzer. The X-ray image shows huge clouds of hot, interstellar gas that have been injected with rich deposits of elements from supernova explosions. This enriched gas, which includes elements such as oxygen, iron, magnesium and silicon, will be incorporated into new generations of stars and planets. The bright, point-like sources in the image are produced by material falling onto black holes and neutron stars that are remnants of the massive stars.
(Credit:X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI)
The Antennae galaxies are a pair of colliding galaxies about 62 million light years from Earth. These images show X-rays from Chandra, optical data from Hubble, and infrared data from Spitzer. The X-ray image shows huge clouds of hot, interstellar gas that have been injected with rich deposits of elements from supernova explosions. This enriched gas, which includes elements such as oxygen, iron, magnesium and silicon, will be incorporated into new generations of stars and planets. The bright, point-like sources in the image are produced by material falling onto black holes and neutron stars that are remnants of the massive stars.
(Credit:X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI)
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Wide-field Optical Image
The Antennae galaxies take their name from the long antenna-like "arms," seen in wide-angle views of the system. These features were produced by tidal forces generated in the collision.
(Credit: Digitized Sky Survey)
The Antennae galaxies take their name from the long antenna-like "arms," seen in wide-angle views of the system. These features were produced by tidal forces generated in the collision.
(Credit: Digitized Sky Survey)
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Antennae with Scale Bar
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI
Return to Antennae (August 05, 2010)
Revised: November 30, 2022