Chandra Release - June 6, 2001

Visual Description: Arches Cluster

The image shows part of a cluster of young stars, with X-ray, infrared (IR), and radio views of the star cluster.  The pullout on the lower left of the image shows two bright blue X-ray areas of a small portion of the cluster, surrounded by much smaller, dimmer green dots from the infrared data. The X-rays, detected by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, are emitted from the hot gas in the cluster, which is heated by the intense ultraviolet radiation emitted by the young stars. A much larger field of view in radio light provides context for the X-ray and infrared inset, with spectacular filamentary structures arching like a claw and displayed in bright red. Overall, the image provides a multi-wavelength view of the Arches Cluster, which is located in the constellation Sagittarius. The combination of X-ray, IR, and radio views allows astronomers to study the cluster's structure, the properties of the young stars within it, and the role of magnetic fields in shaping the cluster's environment.