Chandra Catches Milky Way Monster Snacking

Chandra_168_1024

chandra_168 September 5th, 2001

Credit: NASA/MIT/F.Baganoff et al.

During a Chandra observation of the X-ray source located at the galactic center, the source was observed to brighten dramatically in a few minutes. After about 3 hours, the source declined rapidly to its pre-flare level. This is the most compelling evidence yet that matter falling toward the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy is fueling energetic activity. The amount of material needed to produce the energy released in the flare would have had the mass of a comet.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2001/0204flare/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Sagittarius A*: Sgr A*: Galactic Center
Subject - Milky Way
Galaxy > Component > Central Black Hole

Distance Details Distance

Universescale1
26,000 light years
Chandra_168_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 17h 45m 39.8s
DEC = -29° 0’ 26.5”
Orientation
North is 0.6° CW
Field of View
8.3 x 8.3 arcminutes
Constellation
Sagittarius

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Red Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) -
Green Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) -
Blue Chandra (ACIS) X-ray (X-ray) -
Spectrum_xray1w
Chandra_168_1280
×
ID
168
Subject Category
B.5.4.6  
Subject Name
Sagittarius A*: Sgr A*: Galactic Center
Credits
NASA/MIT/F.Baganoff et al.
Release Date
2001-09-05
Lightyears
26,000
Redshift
26,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2001/0204flare/
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra, Chandra, Chandra
Instrument
ACIS, ACIS, ACIS
Color Assignment
red, green, blue
Band
X-ray, X-ray, X-ray
Bandpass
X-ray, X-ray, X-ray
Central Wavelength
-, -, -
Start Time
2000-10-26T19:08:03, 2000-10-26T19:08:03, 2000-10-26T19:08:03
Integration Time
75600, 75600, 75600
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
266.4159422, -29.0073597
Reference Dimension
2100.0, 2100.0
Reference Pixel
1051.0, 1051.0
Scale
6.60743e-05, 6.6074289e-05
Rotation
-0.63
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
WCS retrieved using CXCs PinpointWCS
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-Ray Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
0204flare_xray.tif
Resource URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2001/0204flare/0204flare_xray.tif
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2012-07-27T16:06:31-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
26,000 light years

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