NASA has shared a stunning series of images that mix X-ray telescopes with several other camera technologies
(Image credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart)
The deep space images that Earthlings have access to come from a range of different space-based cameras, from James Webb to the Hubble Space Telescope. But the most colorful deep space images may actually be a joint effort between several telescopes and observatories.
NASA has released a set of nine colorful space images that illustrate the color and detail that’s possible when mixing views from a visible light camera with those of an X-ray telescope, infrared cameras, UV cameras, and even radio.
Galaxies, exploded stars and more in 'dazzling' new NASA Chandra images - YouTube
The nine composites shared by NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory team illustrate the detail and data that’s possible when multiple types of cameras – and multiple observatories – work together.
Chandra has been taking X-ray images of space since 1999, yet the spacecraft remains NASA’s flagship for X-ray research. Chandra orbits above Earth’s atmosphere (since X-rays are absorbed by our atmosphere) and uses X-rays, mirrors, and electronic detectors to capture detailed images, particularly focusing on the hottest parts of space like exploded stars and the areas surrounding black holes.
By combining data captured by Chandra with visible light, infrared, and even radio, the composite photographs showcase a range of color and detail not shown using one type of camera alone.
Image 1 of 4
This is a photograph of NGC 1068 taken with a optical light camera(Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI)
This X-ray photograph of NGC 1068 shows blue details(Image credit: NASA/CXC/SAO)
A photo of radio data at the center of NGC 1068(Image credit: NSF/NRAO/VLA)
The three photographs composited together create this image of NGC 1068, a spiral galaxy with a black hole at its middle(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical/IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI (HST and JWST); Radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt and N. Wolk)
In the photograph of NGC 1068, a spiral galaxy with a black hole at the center, Chandra’s X-rays are responsible for the blue coloring in the image. Optical photographs from both Hubble and Webb add golden swirls and detail, while radio data adds spots of pink at the center of the galaxy.
Image 1 of 8
NGC 2146 is a spiral galaxy. This shot combines an X-ray image detailing pink at the center, combined with an optical and infrared image.(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA; Infrared: NSF/NOAO/KPNO; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare)
This composite mixes X-ray and infrared to show a large region of star formations called N79, part of the Large Magellanic Cloud(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Ohio State Univ/T. Webb et al.; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major)
The wispy material in this image of IC 348 is what NASA describes as "interstellar material" reflecting light from the stars, captured by infrared. The X-ray image adds dots of stars.(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major)
This composite of X-ray, optical, and infrared shows a starburst galaxy, where stars are forming at a much faster rate than in a typical galaxy(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical/IR: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major)
This image shows two galaxies that are merging, IC 1623. The magenta comes from an X-ray image, while the rest of the detail comes from an infrared camera.(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and J. Major)
This composite of X-ray, optical and infrared shows the super star cluster Westerlund 1(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare)
The galaxy M83 is situated in such a way that Earth gets a full view of the spiral, shown here as a composite with X-ray and optical.(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/AURA/STScI, Hubble Heritage Team, W. Blair (STScI/Johns Hopkins University) and R. O'Connell (University of Virginia); Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare)
X-ray shows purple radiation from the NGC 346 cluster, while optical and ultraviolet add more detail to the area that has thousands of newborn stars(Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; IR/Optical: NASA/ESA/HST; UV: NASA/ESA/STScI/Catholic Univ of America; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major, and K. Arcand)
The nine newly released images illustrate galaxies, black holes, and superstars in more color than possible when using a traditional visible light camera on a telescope.
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Along with X-ray data from Chandra, the series of composites also uses data from James Webb (optical and infrared), Hubble (optical and ultraviolet), NSF’s Kitt Peak (infrared), and even ground-based optical photographs.
With more than a decade of experience writing about cameras and technology, Hillary K. Grigonis leads the US coverage for Digital Camera World. Her work has appeared in Business Insider, Digital Trends, Pocket-lint, Rangefinder, The Phoblographer, and more. Her wedding and portrait photography favors a journalistic style. She’s a former Nikon shooter and a current Fujifilm user, but has tested a wide range of cameras and lenses across multiple brands. Hillary is also a licensed drone pilot.
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