Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/M.Mezcua et al & NASA/CXC/INAF/A.Wolter et al; Optical: NASA/STScI and DSS; Inset: Radio: EVN/VLBI

A newly discovered object in the galaxy NGC 2276 may prove to be an important black hole that helps fill in the evolutionary story of these exotic objects. This source, known as NGC 2276-3c, is likely an intermediate-mass black hole with about 50,000 times the mass of the Sun. The main graphic shows a composite image of the whole galaxy, with X-rays from Chandra (pink) and optical data (red, green, and blue). The inset zooms into just NGC 2276-3c and reveals its emission in radio waves, including a jet produced by the black hole that appears to be squelching star formation. By combining the X-ray and radio data, astronomers are learning about the properties of this object and how it influences its surroundings.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2015/ngc2276/

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

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