Chandra Release - March 1, 2018

Visual Description: ULX in M51

This image features an ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) in the spiral galaxy M51, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy because it resembles a swirling vortex or whirlpool. The image displays a vibrant purple and blue color scheme, with the ULX at the left of one of the galaxy's spiral arms. Ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs) are extremely luminous objects that emit high-energy X-rays, making them some of the brightest objects in the universe. This ULX was discovered by Chandra to be a neutron star. This composite image of the Whirlpool contains X-rays from Chandra (purple) and optical data from the Hubble Space Telescope (red, green, and blue). The ULX is marked with a circle.