NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

A Black Hole Overflows From Galaxy Centaurus A

Composite image of galaxy Centaurus A. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/ CfA/R.Kraft et al.; Submillimeter: MPIfR/ESO/APEX/ A.Weiss et al.; Optical: ESO/WFI

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has helped create a spectacular view of Centaurus A that shows the effects of a supermassive black hole. At the center of this nearby galaxy, a black hole powers jets and lobes that flare against a background of stars and stardust. In the upper left of the image, an X-ray jet extends about 13,000 light years away from the black hole. The material in that jet is travelling at about half the speed of light.

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Exploring the Invisible Universe: Chandra X-ray Observatory

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is part of NASA's fleet of "Great Observatories" along with the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitizer Space Telescope and the now deorbited Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Chandra allows scientists from around the world to obtain unprecedented X-ray images of exotic environments to help understand the structure and evolution of the universe. Already surpassing its five-year life, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is rewriting textbooks and helping advance technology.

Chandra X-ray Center

The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) in Cambridge, Mass., is responsible for the conduct of the day-to-day flight operations and science activities from the Operations Control Center and Chandra X-ray Center (CXC) facilities. SAO also coordinates science planning for the observing program and provides user support as science products are made available to the scientific community. The CXC Web site is the primary resource for information on the Chanda X-ray Observatory mission, providing comprehensive materials such as news releases, photos, status reports, mission background materials, etc.
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NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

The Chandra X-ray Observatory program is managed by NASA's Marshall Center for the Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. The NASA Chandra News Web site contains selected news releases and photos highlighting Chandra discoveries and activites. > View site