ASCA Science Highlights: Normal Galaxies

Normal galaxies contain individual X-ray sources such as supernova remnants and X-ray binaries, and may also contain hot, diffuse gas.

As a special example of individual sources, the ASCA mission was lucky to catch the early X-ray emission from SN 1993J in the nearby spiral Galaxy, M81.
Diffuse emission from elliptical galaxies such as NGC 4472 indicates the presence of hot gas, gravitationally confined by the presence of dark matter in these ellipticals. The presence of a hard component is also seen with ASCA, which is thought to be due to a collection of X-ray binaries.

This page created by Dr. Koji Mukai (USRA) at the U.S. ASCA Guest Observer Facility.

This file was last modified on Monday, 28-May-2001 18:39:12 EDT
Curator: Michael Arida (SP Sys); arida@milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov
HEASARC Guest Observer Facility

If you have any questions concerning ASCA, visit our Feedback form.

This file was last modified on Monday, 28-May-2001 18:39:12 EDT