More Images of Lyman Alpha Blobs
1
Composite Image of a Blob
This composite image shows one of the brightest objects observed in a study
of 29 blobs located in a single field. Glowing hydrogen gas in the blob is
shown by a Lyman-alpha optical image (colored yellow) from the Subaru
telescope. A galaxy located in the blob is visible in a broadband optical
image (white) from the Hubble Space Telescope and an infrared image from
the Spitzer Space Telescope (red). Finally, the Chandra X-ray Observatory
image (blue) shows evidence for a growing supermassive black hole in the center of
the galaxy. Radiation and outflows from this active black hole are lighting
up and heating the gas in the blob.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/Durham Univ./D.Alexander et al.); Optical (NASA/ESA/STScI/IoA/S.Chapman et al.); Lyman-alpha Optical (NAOJ/Subaru/Tohoku Univ./T.Hayashino et al.); Infrared (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Durham Univ./J.Geach et al.))
2
Composite Image of a Second Blob
This composite image shows the 3rd brightest blob observed in a study of 29
objects located in a single field. Glowing hydrogen gas in the blob is
shown by a Lyman-alpha optical image (colored yellow) from the Subaru
telescope. A galaxy located in the blob is visible in a broadband optical
image (white) from the Hubble Space Telescope and an infrared image from
the Spitzer Space Telescope (red). Note that overlap between the gas in the
blob and the galaxy as seen in infrared makes much of the blob appear
orange. Finally, the Chandra X-ray Observatory image (blue) shows evidence for a
growing supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy. Radiation and
outflows from this active black hole are lighting up and heating the gas in
the blob.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/Durham Univ./D.Alexander et al.); Optical (NASA/ESA/STScI/IoA/S.Chapman et al.); Lyman-alpha Optical (NAOJ/Subaru/Tohoku Univ./T.Hayashino et al.); Infrared (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Durham Univ./J.Geach et al.))
3
Illustration of Black Hole Outflows
This is the first of a pair of artist's representations showing what one of
the galaxies inside a blob might look like if viewed at a relatively close
distance. The spiral arms of the galaxy are seen in yellow and white. A
two-sided outflow powered by the supermassive black hole buried inside the
middle of the galaxy is shown in bright yellow, above and below the
galaxy. This outflow illuminates and heats gas surrounding the galaxy,
enabling this blob to be seen across billions of light years. Stars are
forming at a rapid rate in this galaxy, and young stars are being destroyed
in supernova explosions. The three bright stars above the central bulge of
the galaxy are examples of such supernovas. A companion illustration shows
the effects of such explosions. Radiation from regions close to the black
hole and from massive young stars will also have a significant effect, in
lighting up and heating the blob.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
4
Illustration of Winds from a Starburst
This is a second of a pair of artist's representations showing what one of
the galaxies inside a blob might look like if viewed at a relatively close
distance. Repeated supernova explosions and strong mass loss from the stars
before they are destroyed will generate powerful winds that expand
outwards, illuminating and heating the surrounding gas. A nearby example
of such a process is the starburst galaxy M82.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
5
Illustration of a Blob
This artist's representation shows a complete view of the blob, in bright
red. Radiation and outflows from the galaxy and its black hole have illuminated
and heated an enormous structure of gas. Outlying regions of gas not
affected by the galaxy and black hole are shown in dark red.
(Credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
6
Subaru color image of SSA22
This color optical image from the Subaru telescope, operated by the
National Astronomy Observatory of Japan, shows the field called SSA22,
which contains a protocluster seen at an age of about 2 billion years,
about 15% of the age of the Universe. This field contains a large
collection of mysterious blobs. These blobs are composed of hydrogen gas,
and are several hundred light years across. Chandra and Spitzer
observations show that a significant fraction of them contain growing
supermassive black holes and galaxies with dramatically high levels of star
formation.
(Credit: NAOJ/Subaru/Tohoku Univ./T.Hayashino et al.)
7
Lyman-alpha image showing blobs
This optical image of the field SSA22 shows Lyman-alpha radiation which
isolates huge blobs of hydrogen gas in a protocluster. This light is
emitted at ultraviolet wavelengths but because the protocluster is located
a great distance away from us, the radiation is shifted into optical
wavelengths by the cosmological redshift caused by the expansion of the
Universe.
(Credit: NAOJ/Subaru/Tohoku Univ./T.Hayashino et al.)
8
Optical image with protocluster location
An optical image from the Subaru telescope of the SSA22 field is shown here,
along with a map in purple showing the density of the protocluster in this
field.
(Credit: NAOJ/Subaru/Tohoku Univ./T.Hayashino et al.)
9
Lyman Alpha Blobs with Scale Bar
(Credit: Left panel: X-ray (NASA/CXC/Durham Univ./D.Alexander et al.); Optical (NASA/ESA/STScI/IoA/S.Chapman et al.); Lyman-alpha Optical (NAOJ/Subaru/Tohoku Univ./T.Hayashino et al.); Infrared (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Durham Univ./J.Geach et al.); Right, Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
Lyman Alpha Blobs (June 24, 2009)