Images by Date
Images by Category
Solar System
Stars
Exoplanets
White Dwarfs
Supernovas
Neutron Stars
Black Holes
Milky Way Galaxy
Normal Galaxies
Quasars
Galaxy Clusters
Cosmology/Deep Field
Miscellaneous
Images by Interest
Space Scoop for Kids
4K JPG
Multiwavelength
Sky Map
Constellations
Photo Blog
Top Rated Images
Image Handouts
Desktops
Fits Files
Visual descriptions
Image Tutorials
Photo Album Tutorial
False Color
Cosmic Distance
Look-Back Time
Scale & Distance
Angular Measurement
Images & Processing
AVM/Metadata
Image Use Policy
Web Shortcuts
Chandra Blog
RSS Feed
Chronicle
Email Newsletter
News & Noteworthy
Image Use Policy
Questions & Answers
Glossary of Terms
Download Guide
Get Adobe Reader
Phoenix Cluster Animations
Click for low-resolution animation
Tour of Phoenix Cluster
Quicktime MPEG With closed-captions (at YouTube)

In 2012, astronomers announced the discovery of an extraordinary object. This galaxy cluster, which was found about 5.7 billion light years from Earth, shattered several important astronomical records. For example, it had the highest rate of cooling hot gas and star formation ever seen in the center of a galaxy cluster. Chandra observations also showed that it was the most powerful producer of X-rays of all known clusters. And, the rate at which hot gas is cooling in the center of the cluster was also the largest ever observed. The astronomers that found it nicknamed this system the Phoenix Cluster because it was found in the constellation of the Phoenix, and some of its behaviors resembled a galaxy cluster being brought back to life through new star formation.

Three years later, astronomers have gathered even more data on the Phoenix Cluster in X-ray, optical and ultraviolet light. These new observations have helped astronomers better understand what's happening in this object. They see holes, or cavities, in the X-ray data from Chandra that are surrounded by massive filaments of gas and dust. The combination of the X-ray cavities with the filaments may be responsible for the ultra-high rate of new stars forming in the Phoenix Cluster. Overall, the extreme properties of the Phoenix cluster system are providing new insights into various astrophysical problems, including the formation of stars, the growth of galaxies and black holes, and the co-evolution of black holes and their environment.
[Runtime: 01:56]

(Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart)




Return to Phoenix Cluster (September 30, 2015)