Chandra Release - June 5, 2006

Visual Description: M31

A Chandra image of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) is color-coded to represent different energies of X-ray light. The image shows a bright yellow oval shaped object in the center, surrounded by bright dots of light that represent stars and other celestial objects, like clumps of holiday lights.  This Chandra image has red as low energy, green as medium energy, and blue as high energy X-rays.  It shows the central region of the Andromeda Galaxy, where a diffuse, X-ray emitting cloud of hot gas was discovered in the midst of a collection of point-like sources.  Analysis of the X-ray data shows that the point sources are associated with binary star systems that contain a neutron star or black hole that is pulling matter away from a normal star. As the matter falls toward the neutron star or black hole, it is heated by frictional forces to tens of millions of degrees, and produces X-rays.  The diffuse X-ray cloud is due to gas that has accumulated in the central region and been heated to millions of degrees, probably by shock waves from supernova explosions.