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Animations & Video
Quasars & Active Galaxies
 |  | Animation of Black Hole in Elliptical Galaxy
This artist's animation depicts a journey into the center of an elliptical galaxy. After traveling past stars in the outer part of the galaxy, the supermassive black hole located at the bright center of the galaxy becomes visible. This black hole is surrounded by hot gas shown in red and yellow, which acts as fuel for the black hole engine. Power generated by the engine flows away from the black hole via jets of high-energy particles. |
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Important features of Centaurus A
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This short movie highlights some of the important features of the Chandra X-ray Observatory image of Centaurus A. The entire Chandra image is shown, followed by a zoom into the center of the galaxy where the active nucleus and the launching point for a jet are featured. Particles in the jet and radiation from the active nucleus are both powered by a supermassive black hole. The movie then pans to the upper left to show more of the jet, followed by a view of the shorter "counterjet" pointed in the opposite direction.
[Runtime: 0:30]
(NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al)
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Multiwavelength views of Centaurus A
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This sequence of images of the galaxy Centaurus A begins with the deep Chandra X-ray Observatory image, then shows the radio image from the Very Large Array, then the optical image from the ESO's Wide-Field Imager (WFI) camera at the ESO/MPG 2.2-m telescope on La Silla. Finally, a composite image with all three wavelengths is shown.
[Runtime: 0:14]
(X-ray X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al; Radio: NSF/VLA/Univ.Hertfordshire/M.Hardcastle; Optical: ESO/VLT/ISAAC/M.Rejkuba et al.)
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Tour of 3C321
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In 3C321, a jet from a black hole in one of the galaxies is pummeling its neighbor galaxy, the first time this type of galactic violence has ever been seen. The jet could bring big trouble for any planets in its path, but could also trigger a burst of star formation in its wake. Beginning with a wide-field view of X-ray and radio emission, we see that the jets from the black hole extend amazingly far, about 1.7 million light-years. Next, we zoom into the two galaxies where most of the action is happening. Radio emission from the Very Large Array and Merlin telescopes, optical and ultraviolet data from Hubble, and X-rays from Chandra all reveal different features of this system. The combined image of all of these data shows how the jet from the galaxy on the lower left impacts the companion galaxy to the upper right. The jet hits the galaxy's edge and is then disrupted and deflected, much like how a stream of water from a hose will splay out after hitting a wall at an angle.
[Runtime: 1.03]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/D.Evans et al.; Optical/UV: NASA/STScI; Radio: NSF/VLA/CfA/D.Evans et al., STFC/JBO/MERLIN)
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Animation of 3C321
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This animation of 3C321 begins with a close-up of the supermassive black hole in the center of the main galaxy. Hot gas is falling towards the black hole via a blue disk. Some of this material is swallowed by the black hole, but much of it is ejected in a narrow jet of particles traveling at almost the speed of light. The camera then pulls back to show stars and a dust lane in the main galaxy. As the field of view continues to increase in size, the companion galaxy becomes visible as it swings into the path of the jet from the main galaxy. The jet is deflected and disrupted by the impact with the companion galaxy.
[Runtime: 0:46]
(NASA/STScI/G. Bacon)
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Comparing Different Black Holes
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This sequence shows four black holes from the Bootes field. The first two black holes are obscured by thick rings of gas. Because such a ring blocks certain types of radiation, these black holes are only are seen in X-ray (blue) and infrared (red) light. The last two black holes are not enshrouded by this ring of material, and, therefore, emit X-ray, infrared, and optical (green) radiation. These objects helps astronomers better understand the properties of these monster black holes.
[Runtime: 0:08]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Hickox et al.; Infrared: NASA/JPL/Caltech/P.Eisenhardt & D.Stern et al.; Optical: NOAO/B.Jannuzi & A.Dey et al.)
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Comparison of 3C321 Composite to Artist's Illustration
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This sequence compares the composite image of 3C321 to an artist's illustration of the system, showing the main galaxy and the companion galaxy. A jet of particles generated by a supermassive black hole at the center of the main galaxy is striking the companion galaxy. The jet is disrupted and deflected by this impact. The key features of this system are labeled in the final view.
[Runtime: 0:14]
(Image: X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/D.Evans et al.; Optical/UV: NASA/STScI; Radio: NSF/VLA/CfA/D.Evans et al., STFC/JBO/MERLIN; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M. Weiss)
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Different Views of 3C442A
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This sequence begins with an optical view of the region around the 3C442A system. After zooming in, the Chandra X-ray and VLA radio images appear, showing the dramatic difference between what is seen in various wavelengths. There are two galaxies near the middle of 3C442A which are in the process of merging. These two galaxies are on their second pass toward a collision, having already experienced a close encounter.
[Runtime: 0:16]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Bristol/Worrall et al.; Radio: NRAO/AUI/NSF; Optical: Pal.Obs. DSS)
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Illustrations of Black Hole Eclipse
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These artist's representations, which are not to scale, explain how a supermassive black hole and the hot gas disk around it are eclipsed. The first illustration shows how light from the bright disk surrounding the black hole can directly reach Chandra. The second illustration demonstrates how this light can be blocked by a dense cloud of gas, which causes only reflected light from the disk to reach Chandra.
[Runtime: 0:15]
View Stills
(NASA/CXC/M.Weiss)
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Multiwavelength Images of 3C321
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This series of images shows how 3C321 looks in a variety of types of radiation. Beginning with a wide-field view of X-ray and radio emission, the image reveals jets that extend for about 1.7 million light years before zooming into the central two galaxies. Optical and ultraviolet data from Hubble, radio emission from the Very Large Array and MERLIN, and X-rays from Chandra combine to reveal how the jet from the main galaxy on the lower left is striking its companion galaxy to the upper right. The jet impacts the companion galaxy at its edge and is then disrupted and deflected, much like how a stream of water from a hose will splay out after hitting a wall at an angle.
[Runtime: 0:23]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/D.Evans et al.; Optical/UV: NASA/STScI; Radio: NSF/VLA/CfA/D.Evans et al., STFC/JBO/MERLIN)
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Multiwavelength View of NGC 4258
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For decades, astronomers have known about the so-called anomalous arms in the spiral galaxy NGC 4258. This motion graphic shows NGC 4258 from the viewpoint of multiple space and ground-based observations. Visible light (seen in gold) from the Digitized Sky Survey and infrared light (red) from the Spitzer Space Telescope reveals two prominent arms. However, radio data (purple) from the Very Large Array and X-ray data (blue) from Chandra show two additional, offset arms. By combining all of these data, scientists have found evidence that the mysterious X-ray arms are due to shock waves generated by the supermassive black hole in the nucleus of NGC 4258. The shock waves heat the gas in the disk, causing it to radiate brightly in X-rays and other wavelengths.
[Runtime: 0:18]
(X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Maryland/A.S. Wilson et al. Optical: Optical: Pal.Obs. DSS; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; VLA: NRAO/AUI/NSF)
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