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1
Chandra X-ray Image of M74
Peculiar outbursts of X-rays coming from a black hole have provided evidence that it has a mass of a few thousand Suns, which places it in a new class of black holes. The timing and regularity of these outbursts, observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, make the object one of the best candidates yet for a so-called intermediate-mass black hole.
Scale: 9 arcmin per side
(Credit: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.)
Peculiar outbursts of X-rays coming from a black hole have provided evidence that it has a mass of a few thousand Suns, which places it in a new class of black holes. The timing and regularity of these outbursts, observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, make the object one of the best candidates yet for a so-called intermediate-mass black hole.
Scale: 9 arcmin per side
(Credit: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.)
2
Chandra X-ray & NOAO Optical Composites of M74
These images show an optical image of the galaxy M74 combined with Chandra's X-ray image. The close-up zooms into one source in the galaxy's spiral arm. Astronomers believe this object is a medium-size black hole, which would bridge the size gap between other known black holes.
Scale: 9 arcmin per side; Close-up is 4.5 arcmin per side
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.; Optical: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
These images show an optical image of the galaxy M74 combined with Chandra's X-ray image. The close-up zooms into one source in the galaxy's spiral arm. Astronomers believe this object is a medium-size black hole, which would bridge the size gap between other known black holes.
Scale: 9 arcmin per side; Close-up is 4.5 arcmin per side
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.; Optical: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
3
NOAO Optical Images of M74
A face-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces, M74 is about 32 million light years from Earth and 80,000 light years across. This optical image of M74 (aka NGC 628) was taken in 1991 by the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 0.9-meter telescope.
Scale: 9 arcmin per side; Full-field is 21 x 16 arcmin
(Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
A face-on spiral galaxy in the constellation Pisces, M74 is about 32 million light years from Earth and 80,000 light years across. This optical image of M74 (aka NGC 628) was taken in 1991 by the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 0.9-meter telescope.
Scale: 9 arcmin per side; Full-field is 21 x 16 arcmin
(Credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
4
M74 Image with Scale Bar
Scalebar = 2 arcmin
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.; Optical: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
Scalebar = 2 arcmin
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/U. of Michigan/J.Liu et al.; Optical: NOAO/AURA/NSF/T.Boroson)
Return to M74 (21 Mar 05)
Revised: July 16, 2008