M31, Andromeda Galaxy, Composite
Composite image of M31 shows X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory in gold, optical data from the Digitized Sky Survey in light blue and infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope in red. The Chandra data covers only the central region of M31 as shown in the inset box for the image (roll your mouse over the image above). New results show that the Chandra image would be about 40 times brighter than observed if Type Ia supernova in the bulge of this galaxy were triggered by material from a normal star falling onto a white dwarf star. This implies that the merger of two white dwarfs is the main trigger for Type Ia supernovas for the area observed by Chandra. Similar results for five elliptical galaxies were found. These findings represent a major advance in understanding the origin of Type Ia supernovas, explosions that are used as cosmic mile markers to measure the accelerated expansion of the universe and study dark energy. Release date February 17, 2010.
Size: 3600px × 3593px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 31, 224, 2010, 21st, andromeda, astronomical, astronomy, black, body, celestial, century, composite, deep, event, formation, galactic, galaxies, galaxy, glaxy, group, heavenly, hole, horizon, image, local, m31, messier, nebula, ngc, object, point, return, science, sky, space, spiral, star, starburst, stellar-mass
