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Explanation: These high resolution false color pictures of the Galactic center region in high energy X-ray and gamma-ray light result from a very long exposure of roughly 3,000 hours performed from 1990 to 1997 by the French SIGMA telescope onboard the Russian GRANAT spacecraft. Each image covers a 14x14 degree field which includes most of the central bulge of our Milky Way Galaxy. The X-ray picture (left) reveals a cluster of sources releasing enormous amounts of energy. They are probably binary star systems where matter accretes onto a collapsed object, either a neutron star or a black hole. But according to recent theories, only those binary systems with black holes can radiate above X-ray energies -- in the gamma-ray regime. In that case, the SIGMA sources also shining in the gamma-ray picture (right) betray the presence of accreting stellar black holes! Surprisingly, no high energy source seems to coincide exactly with the Galactic center itself, located near the brightest source at the bottom of both pictures. This indicates that the large black hole thought to be lurking there is unexpectedly quiet at these energies.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: black hole - Galactic Center - Milky Way - neutron star - gamma ray
Publications with words: black hole - Galactic Center - Milky Way - neutron star - gamma ray
See also:
- APOD: 2024 April 1 Á Swirling Magnetic Field around Our Galaxys Central Black Hole
- APOD: 2023 December 12 Á Aurora and Milky Way over Norway
- Milky Way Rising
- UHZ1: Distant Galaxy and Black Hole
- APOD: 2023 September 6 Á HESS Telescopes Explore the High Energy Sky
- APOD: 2023 July 18 Á Milky Way above La Palma Observatory
- APOD: 2023 July 16 Á Meteor and Milky Way over the Alps