NGC 2841: A large spiral galaxy about 50 million light years from Earth.
Caption: This X-ray/optical composite image shows multimillion degree
gas (blue/X-ray) rising above the disk of stars and cooler gas
(gray/optical). The rapid outflows of gas from giant stars and supernova
explosions in the disk of a galaxy create huge shells or bubbles of hot
gas that expand rapidly and rise above the disk like plumes of smoke
from a chimney. Chandra's image of NGC 2841 provides direct evidence for
this process, which pumps energy into the thin gaseous halo that
surrounds the galaxy. Galactic chimneys also spread hot, metal enriched
gas away from the disk of the galaxy into the halo.
Scale: Image is 5.75 arcmin across.
Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS Image
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