Chandra Release - June 5, 2001

Visual Description: NGC 253

  NGC 253 is a spiral starburst galaxy located in the constellation Sculptor, about 13 million light-years away from Earth. The galaxy's X-ray emission is caused by high-energy processes such as supernova explosions and black hole accretion. In this image, the galaxy is shown in visible light and X-ray wavelengths. The visible light image reveals the entire galaxy and its characteristic spiral shape in black and white.  The X-ray image pullout from the central area highlights its energetic features, and is shaped like a bright red-orange butterfly. Chandra detects a high number of suspected intermediate-size black holes – a recently discovered class of objects. NGC 253 has at least six so-called ultraluminous (very powerful X-ray) point sources, and Chandra shows that four of them are located within about 3,000 light years from the galaxy's core. This relative close distance may imply that the ultraluminous objects -- which are usually found slightly farther out -- are gravitating towards the center of the galaxy.