These images show X-ray data of the area around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Data from NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) has provided evidence that this black hole — known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) — had an outburst about 200 years ago after devouring gas and dust within its reach. The IXPE data are shown with X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Additionally a wider field-of-view of the center of the Milky Way from Chandra is provided. [Listen to the sonification here].

This tactile plate of our Milky Way's core is courtesy of X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and IXPE. In this rendering, the central region of our Milky Way resembles layers of clouds, dotted with specks of light. Two bright spots glow to our left of center.