Where In The Universe #123

by Nancy Atkinson on October 28, 2010

Want to stay on top of all the space news? Follow @universetoday on Twitter

After a small hiatus, it’s time once again for another Where In The Universe Challenge. Test your visual knowledge of the cosmos by naming where in the Universe this image was taken and give yourself extra points if you can name the spacecraft/telescope responsible for this picture. Post your guesses in the comments section, and check back on later at this same post to find the answer. To make this challenge fun for everyone, please don’t include links or extensive explanations with your answer. Good luck!

UPDATE: The answer has been posted below.

This is an image of NGC 6240 that contains X-ray data from Chandra (shown in red, orange, and yellow) combined with an optical image from the Hubble Space Telescope. In 2002, the discovery of two merging black holes was announced based on Chandra data in this galaxy. The two black holes are a mere 3,000 light years apart and are seen as the bright point-like sources in the middle of the image.

For more information about this image, see the Chandra website.

About

Nancy Atkinson is Universe Today's Senior Editor. She also is the host of the NASA Lunar Science Institute podcast and works with the Astronomy Cast and 365 Days of Astronomy podcasts. Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador.

  • http://imperiumsolis.blogspot.com/ imperiumsolis

    Two supermassive blackholes in the process of merging in the galaxy NGC6240. The image combines X-ray data from Chandra Observatory and an optical image from Hubble Space Telescope.

  • kammueller

    The Flying Spaghetti monster passing through the Small Magellenic Cloud

  • Lawrence B. Crowell

    NGC 6240 it is.

    LC

  • DrFlimmer

    A small triangular yellow monster with two bright eyes, red hair and red tentacles flees from a blue and angry supermonster. You can see that it’s angry, because of the black foam around his mouth.
    The yellow one tried to tease the big one and was successful. Now, it will pay it’s debt!

  • Mister T

    It is the view out the back window of the Enterprise as it Warps away from Kahn as he detonates the Genesis device.

  • jayfish

    M82? No idea on the instruments.

  • GBendt

    It looks like NGC 6240, camouflaged as a small triangular monster with two bright eyes, red hair and red tentacles that is fleeing from a blue and angry supermonster, as DRFLIMMER proposes.

  • santafedog

    A very famous GO theatre actor in Japan who stuck his nose into the oven too soon to see what was for dinner.

Previous post:

Next post: