Hot Gas and Dark Matter
Explanation:
Is the
gravity of the galaxies seen in this image
high enough to contain the glowing hot gas? Superposed on
an optical picture of a group of galaxies
is an image taken in
X-ray light.
This picture, taken by
ROSAT, shows confined hot gas
highlighted in false red color, and provides
clear evidence that the gravity exerted in
groups and
clusters of galaxies
exceeds all the individual component galaxies combined.
The extra gravity is attributed to
dark matter, the nature and abundance of
which is one of the biggest
mysteries in astronomy today.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
