X Rays from M17
Explanation:
About 5,000
light-years
away, toward the constellation Sagittarius
and the
center of our galaxy,
lies the bright star forming region
cataloged as M17.
In visible light, M17's bowed and hollowed-out appearance has resulted in
many
popular names
like the Horseshoe, Swan, Omega, and Lobster
nebula.
But what
has
sculpted this glowing gas cloud?
This
Chandra
Observatory image of x-rays from M17 provides a clue.
Many massive young stars are responsible for the pink
central region of the false-color
x-ray picture, their colliding
stellar winds producing the
multimillion
degree gas cloud
which extends ten or so light-years to the left.
When
compared
with visible light images,
this x-ray hot cloud is partly surrounded by the nebula's cooler gas.
In fact, having carved out a central cavity
the hot gas seems to be flowing out of the horseshoe
shape like champagne from an uncorked bottle ...
suggesting yet another name for star forming
region
M17.
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.
