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More Images of Galactic Center X-ray Binaries
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Combined Chandra X-ray Image of
Galactic Center X-ray Binaries
In this Chandra image, four bright, variable X-ray sources were discovered within 3 light years of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). The variability suggests these are X-ray binary systems where a black hole or neutron star is pulling matter from a nearby companion star. Such a high concentration of X-ray binaries in this region is strong circumstantial evidence that a dense swarm of 10,000 or more stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars has formed around Sgr A*.
Scale: Image is 1 arcmin per side
(Credit: NASA/CXC/UCLA/M.Muno et al.)
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Individual Chandra Images of Galactic Center X-ray Binaries
This series of 5 images is part of an ongoing Chandra program that monitors a region around the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, Sgr A*. Four bright, variable X-ray sources were discovered within 3 light years of Sgr A*. The variability (see time-lapse movie) is indicative of an X-ray binary system where a black hole or neutron star is pulling matter from a nearby companion star. Such a high concentration of X-ray binaries in this region is strong circumstantial evidence that a dense swarm of 10,000 or more stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars has formed around Sgr A*. The swarm likely formed as stellar-mass black holes, and to a lesser extent, neutron stars, gradually sank toward the center of the Galaxy over the course of several billion years.
Scale: Each image is 1 arcmin per side
(Credit: NASA/CXC/UCLA/M.Muno et al.)
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Galactic Center X-ray Binaries in Context
This three-paneled image shows Chandra's latest results from the Galactic Center (bottom right) in context of previously released images. The top panel is a portion of Chandra's 900- by 400-light year mosaic of the Milky Way's center including its supermassive black hole, known as Sgr A*. The box marked "(A)" of the mosaic outlines a smaller region shown in the lower left panel, where about 2,000 individual X-ray sources are detected. The final panel "(B)" shows four sources within a mere three light years of Sgr * A that Chandra observed to be variable. These data suggest that they are binary systems possibly containing their own black holes. Such a high concentration of X-ray binaries in this region is circumstantial evidence that a dense swarm of 10,000 black holes and neutron stars has formed around Sgr A*.
(Credit:
Top: NASA/UMass/D.Wang et al.
Bottom Left: NASA/CXC/MIT/F.K.Baganoff et al.
Bottom Right: NASA/CXC/UCLA/M.Muno et al.)
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Chandra X-ray Image with Scale Bar
Scalebar = .25 arcmin
(Credit: NASA/CXC/UCLA/M.Muno et al.)
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Return to Galactic Center X-ray Binaries (10 Jan 05)
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