LMC X-1 Region
Image credit: Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE)
These PSPC images are of the binary black hole candidate LMC X-1, located in the Large Magellenic Cloud. These pictures were taken at different X-ray energy bandwidths. One is of energies from 0.1 to 2.0 keV, the second covers 0.5 to 2.0 keV, and the third is 0.1 to 0.4 keV. If the pictures are compared closely, it is possible to see the differences between them.
As for the LMC X-1 region, optical spectra show that this binary system is surrounded by very highly ionized Helium (He III), which may be a rare example of an x-ray photoionized nebula. The Tarantula Nebula, north of the bright region, is easily seen as the shadow of the diffuse X-ray emission of a dark cloud. The Large Magellenic Cloud itself is not actually a cloud, but a galaxy that neighbors our own. Located a mere 170,000 light years from the Milky Way, it is actually the galaxy nearest to us.
Get the high resolution (300 dpi) TIFF format version of the 0.5 to 2.0 keV image.
Curator:
HEASARC Guest Observer Facility
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