Chandra Release - April 6, 2006

Visual Description: 3C 75 in Abell 400

The X-ray (blue) and radio (pink)  image of 3C 75 in the galaxy cluster Abell 400 features a dark to bright blue color scheme with a bright, pink curved object in the center. This composite image shows radio jets immersed in a vast cloud of multimillion degree X-ray emitting gas that pervades the cluster. The jets emanate from the vicinity of two supermassive black holes (two bright spots in the center of the image). These black holes are in the dumbbell galaxy NGC 1128, which has produced the giant radio source called 3C 75.  The peculiar dumbbell structure of this galaxy is thought to be due to two large galaxies that are in the process of merging. Such mergers are common in the relatively congested environment of galaxy clusters. An alternative hypothesis is that the apparent structure is the result of a coincidence in time when the two galaxies are passing one another, like ships in the cosmic sea.