Astronomy X Ray Image

A galaxy is full of stars, supernovas, black holes, and other fantastic objects that we can’t see with our eyes. But powerful telescopes can help us find them, and these images can be pretty stunning. Those images, however, are often black and white and not very clear. Fortunately, there is a process called false-color imaging that can make the images much more readable.

An astronomy x ray image shows the energy levels of celestial objects in different colors. This is because astronomical objects have a different energy in their electromagnetic waves than the light we can see. X-rays are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that also includes visible light, radio waves, microwaves and infrared radiation. As a result, they are emitted by objects at very high temperatures – millions of degrees Celsius.

Unlike the photons that our eyes can see, X-rays have very short wavelengths and high frequencies, so they can pass straight through most materials. But, they do get absorbed by higher-energy materials, such as metals. For this reason, X-rays are often used in medical procedures to identify the presence of broken bones, tumors and other injuries.

The same technology can be used in a telescope to create these stunning images of our universe. The telescope is equipped with a large mirror and a detector that can detect X-rays. The mirror is oriented at a specific angle, known as the grazing incidence angle, to ensure that all of the incoming X-rays are concentrated on the detector. Each X-ray that hits the detector is recorded with information about its energy, direction and time. The telescope can then identify the location of a given region of the sky by analyzing the recorded data.

Most astronomical X-ray images are created using an instrument called a Charged Coupled Device (CCD). The CCD is the same type of sensor that is found in digital cameras. A CCD records a picture of the celestial object by absorbing photons and depositing their energy into the sensor’s circuitry. The information that is recorded on the CCD is then stored in a digital form and can be analyzed by an astronomer.

This image was created by the Chandra X-ray Observatory to study the central core of our Milky Way galaxy. It shows the superheated gas of the galaxy that surrounds a massive black hole at its center. The image was composed of data taken at three different X-ray energies: low, medium and high. Each of these pictures is then manipulated in a program to create the final false-color image. In the final image, red represents low-energy X-rays, green represents medium energy X-rays and blue represents high-energy X-rays. By combining these different X-ray wavelengths into a single color composite, scientists can better understand the composition of the gas and its properties. The image was released on January 5, 2016.