Images of Cassiopeia A, Guitar Nebula, Abell 2597 & NGC 4490 (Credit: X-ray: NASA/Chandra X-ray Center; Optical: NASA/Space Telescope Science Institute; Radio: National Science Foundation/National Radio Astronomy Observatory/Very Large Array; H-alpha: Las Cumbres Observatory)
R Aquarii is a pair of a white dwarf star that steadily burns at a relatively cool temperature and a highly variable red giant, according to NASA. The white dwarf pulls material from the red giant onto its surface as they orbit each other | Photo: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory
Cassiopeia A is a supernova remnant. Chandra’s observations of the cosmic object have shown how individual elements from the exploded star are being cast off into space. In the picture, X-rays reveal silicon (red), sulfur (yellow), calcium (green), and iron (light purple). | Photo: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory Composite image of Guitar Nebula: Astronomers have been puzzled by the alignment of some jets of X-rays coming from very fast-moving pulsars or spinning neutron stars that shoot out into interstellar space at odd, unexpected angles. PSR B2224+65 is a pulsar found near the structure nicknamed the “Guitar Nebula” due to its shape in optical light (blue), and astronomers see jets of X-rays coming from it. | Photo: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory X-ray image of Guitar Nebula: Chandra captured an X-ray stream (pink) which is pointed nearly perpendicular to the guitar-shaped structure. | Photo: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory
Galaxy Cluster Abell 2597 has a giant central supermassive black hole which is driving the gas outward and creating bubbles, or voids, within it. The composite image of Abell 2597 includes X-rays from Chandra (blue), optical data from the Digitized Sky Survey (orange), and emission from hydrogen atoms in optical light from the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile (red). | Photo: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory The gravitational interaction between two merging galaxies can trigger waves of star formation. This happens in NGC 4490, a spiral galaxy which has collided with a smaller galaxy to the upper right but not seen in the image | Photo: NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory
