X-ray & Optical Images of SDSS J0849+1114
A study using data from Chandra and other telescopes provides the strongest evidence yet for three supermassive black holes on a collision course. Astronomers think such triplets, while extremely rare, play a critical role in how the biggest black holes grow over time. The images show SDSS J084905.51+111447.2 in X-rays from Chandra and optical light data from Hubble and the SDSS. Chandra revealed three X-ray sources at the bright centers of each galaxy in the merger, where scientists expect supermassive black holes to reside.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/George Mason Univ./R. Pfeifle et al.; Optical: SDSS & NASA/STScI)