从射电波段到X波段的银河系中心

2020 March 31

The Galactic Center from Radio to X-ray
Image Credit: X-Ray: NASA, CXC, UMass, D. Wang et al.; Radio: NRF, SARAO, MeerKAT

Explanation: In how many ways does the center of our Galaxy glow? This enigmatic region, about 26,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Archer (Sagittarius), glows in every type of light that we can see. In the featured image, high-energy X-ray emission captured by NASA’s orbiting Chandra X-Ray Observatory appears in green and blue, while low-energy radio emission captured by SARAO’s ground-based MeerKAT telescope array is colored red. Just on the right of the colorful central region lies Sagittarius A (Sag A), a strong radio source that coincides with Sag A*, our Galaxy’s central supermassive black hole. Hot gas surrounds Sag A, as well as a series of parallel radio filaments known as the Arc, seen just left of the image center. Numerous unusual single radio filaments are visible around the image. Many stars orbit in and around Sag A, as well as numerous small black holes and dense stellar cores known as neutron stars and white dwarfs. The Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole is currently being imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope.

Activities: NASA Science at Home

Tomorrow’s picture: edible asteroid?

从射电波段到X波段的银河系中心
影像提供: X-Ray: NASA, CXC, UMass, D. Wang et al.; Radio: NRF, SARAO, MeerKAT

说明: 我们的银河系会发射多宽波段的辐射？这个神秘的区域位于人马座方向，距离我们26,000光年，它的辐射覆盖了我们能够探测的所有波段。在这张精选的图片中，高能X射线信息是由美国航天局的在轨钱德拉X射线天文台获取，显示为绿色和蓝色，低能射电信息是由南非射电天文台的地面MeerKAT射电望远镜阵列捕捉，显示为红色。包含了银河系中心特大质量黑洞Sag A*在内的强烈射电源——人马座A（SagA）在绚丽的中央区域右侧。炽热的气体围绕着SagA，同时伴随着一系列被称为射电弧的条纹（图片中心左侧）。在周围还能看到许多不同寻常的单条的射电条纹。许多恒星、小质量黑洞以及致密恒星内核（中子星、白矮星）在SagA的里面和周围运行。目前，事件视界望远镜正在对银河系中心的特大质量黑洞进行成像。

Activities: NASA Science at Home

明日的图片: edible asteroid?