X Ray Images

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Here are some cool x-ray images. You can make any of these images into your computer desktop wallpaper. Just click on an image to enlarge it, and then choose “Set as Desktop Background”.

Stellar Shrapnel

Here’s a nice composite photo of the N49, the remains of a supernova explosion located in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy. This view was observed by the NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Mysterious Galaxy

This image of an elliptical galaxy NGC 1132 was acquired from the combined data provided by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope. Elliptical galaxies such as this one are mostly composed of aging stars due to insufficient cool gas in it.

Young Star Cluster Aglow With Mysterious X-Ray Cloud

Here’s a very nice photo of the star cluster RCW 38 captured by the Chandra X-ray Observatory on December 18, 2002. The star cluster RCW 38 is approximately 6,000 light years from Earth.

An Intriguing, Glowing Galaxy

This image of 3C 305 galaxy was obtained from the data provided by Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope. This radio galaxy can be found in the constellation Draco.

Black Holes Have Simple Feeding Habits

Here’s an image of a black hole found at the center of a spiral galaxy M81. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and some ground-based telescopes provided data which proved the similarities in the behavior of black holes no matter what their sizes are.

We have written many articles about x-ray imaging for Universe Today. Here’s an article about x-rays, and here’s an article about x-ray astronomy.

If you’d like more info regarding x-ray astronomy, check out the Chandra X-ray Observatory Homepage for recent stories and images, and here’s a link to the Introduction to X-ray Astronomy Page.

We’ve also recorded an episode of Astronomy Cast all about X-ray Astronomy. Listen here, Episode 135: X-ray Astronomy.

Tagged as: Chandra X-ray Observatory, X-ray, X-ray astronomy