Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/MIT/H.Marshall et al. Radio: F. Zhou, F.Owen (NRAO), J.Biretta (STScI) Optical: NASA/STScI/UMBC/E.Perlman et al.

The Chandra image (top) shows the bright nucleus of M87 (extreme left) where a supermassive black hole resides, and a "knotty" X-ray jet blasting outward. The Very Large Array radio image of the jet (lower left) and the Hubble optical image (lower right), show a similar structure in the jet. Detailed Chandra data suggest that the jet is produced by strong electromagnetic forces created by matter swirling toward the supermassive black hole. Inside the jet, shock waves produce high-energy electrons that radiate as they spiral around the magnetic field, creating the observed radio, optical and X-ray knots.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2001/0134/

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

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