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
More Information
Quasars & Active Galaxies
X-ray Astronomy Field Guide
Quasars & Active Galaxies
Questions and Answers
Quasars & Active Galaxies
Chandra Images
Quasars & Active Galaxies
Related Podcasts
Tour: Black Hole Destroys Star and Goes After Another
Download Image

More Information

More Images
Chandra X-ray Image with Scale Bar
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/IOA/Fabian et al. Optical: NASA/U. Durham/Smail et al.)


Related Images
Type 2 Quasar:
Gravitational Lens Helps Chandra Find Rare Type of Black Hole


Type 2 Quasar
Credit: X-ray: NASA/IOA/Fabian et al., Optical: NASA/U.Durham/Smail et al.

X-ray (left) and Optical (right) Images of Veiled Black Hole. The left hand panel shows the Chandra X-ray Observatory image of a powerful point-like source of X rays. The Hubble Space Telescope image (right panel) shows the spiral galaxy with which the X-ray source is associated. The X-ray source is located at the center of the galaxy, and has a deficit of low energy X rays, consistent with absorption by a thick cloud of gas. The combination of powerful X-ray emission, absorption of low energy X-rays, and the relatively normal optical appearance of the galaxy suggests that the source is a rare type of black hole called a Type 2 quasar.

The spread-out appearance of the X-ray source is an instrumental artifact. The distribution of X rays is consistent with this source being point-like. The X-ray and optical image panels have the same scale, which is 10 arcsec on a side.

Chandra X-ray Observatory Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer Image (ACIS) of CXOUJ215334.0+174240

Fast Facts for Type 2 Quasar:
Credit  X-ray: NASA/IOA/Fabian et al., Optical: NASA/U.Durham/Smail et al.
Scale  Image is 10 arcsec across.
Category  Quasars & Active Galaxies
Coordinates (J2000)  RA 21h 53m 34s | Dec +17° 42' 40"
Constellation  Pegasus
Observation Dates  November 5, 1999
Observation Time  3 hours
Obs. IDs  501
Color Code  Intensity
Instrument  ACIS
Release Date  March 20, 2000