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Chandra X-ray & CFHT Optical Images of Stephan's Quintet
This X-ray image from Chandra and optical image from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope show a beautiful new look at the compact group of galaxies known as Stephan's Quintet. One galaxy is thought to be passing through the others at almost two million miles per hour. This generates a shock wave that heats the gas and creates the ridge of X-ray emission detected by Chandra.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/E.O'Sullivan); Optical (Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Coelum))
This X-ray image from Chandra and optical image from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope show a beautiful new look at the compact group of galaxies known as Stephan's Quintet. One galaxy is thought to be passing through the others at almost two million miles per hour. This generates a shock wave that heats the gas and creates the ridge of X-ray emission detected by Chandra.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/E.O'Sullivan); Optical (Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Coelum))
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Labeled Version of Stephan's Quintet
The four galaxies in Stephan's Quintet are visible in the optical image (yellow, red, white and blue) from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea. A labeled version identifies these galaxies as well as a prominent foreground galaxy (NGC 7320) that is not a member of the group. The galaxy labeled NGC 7318b is passing through the core of galaxies at almost 2 million miles per hour, and is thought to be causing the ridge of X-ray emission by generating a shock wave that heats the gas.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/E.O'Sullivan); Optical (Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Coelum))
The four galaxies in Stephan's Quintet are visible in the optical image (yellow, red, white and blue) from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea. A labeled version identifies these galaxies as well as a prominent foreground galaxy (NGC 7320) that is not a member of the group. The galaxy labeled NGC 7318b is passing through the core of galaxies at almost 2 million miles per hour, and is thought to be causing the ridge of X-ray emission by generating a shock wave that heats the gas.
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/E.O'Sullivan); Optical (Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Coelum))
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Stephan's Quintet with Scale Bar
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/E.O'Sullivan); Optical (Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Coelum)
(Credit: X-ray (NASA/CXC/CfA/E.O'Sullivan); Optical (Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope/Coelum)
Stephan's Quintet (July 09, 2009)
Revised: November 30, 2022