Chandra Release - April 30, 2012

Visual Description: M83

The image features a composite multipanel view of a spiral galaxy called M83, also known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy. M83 is shown on the left in an visible image from the Very Large Telescope in Chile, which is operated by the European Southern Observatory. On the right is a composite image showing X-ray data from Chandra in pink and visible light data from the Hubble Space Telescope in blue and yellow.  The visible light image of M83 shows it as a large, bright spiral galaxy face on with pink and purple hues and a touch of pale yellow. The X-ray image close-up, on the other hand, shows hot pink sources on the lighter blue and pink optical data.  Using Chandra, astronomers found a new ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX), objects that give off more X-rays than most "normal" binary systems in which a companion star is in orbit around a neutron star or black hole.  The ULX is located near the bottom of the composite image as a single bright pink source.