25 Brand-New Chandra X-ray Images Show the Beauty of Cosmic Energy

To celebrate the Chandra X-ray Observatory’s 25th birthday, NASA has released 25 beautiful, never-before-seen images captured by Chandra.

Launched aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia on July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) is one of NASA’s legendary series of “Great Observatories,” alongside the venerable Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, and Spitzer Space Telescope. Like Hubble, Chandra is still working hard in space, far surpassing its original five-year mission plan.

A collage of 28 colorful astronomical images, each labeled with names like Crab Nebula, Orion, Eyes, Cat's Paw, Galactic Center, M16 Pillars, Bat Shadow, NGC 7469, Virgo Cluster, WR 124, and more. The images depict various nebulae, galaxies, clusters, and stars.

While CXO has been in space for 25 years, it owes a great debt to scientific goals dreamt up back in the 1970s. Work continued on what would ultimately become Chandra throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and it finally launched in the summer of 1999.

Earlier this year, Congress voted to reduce funding for NASA and its missions, so there is significant concern that Chandra’s mission may end despite it still being fully operational. So the 25 images below are especially meaningful, as they show what sort of science — and beauty — will be lost if NASA is forced to shut down Chandra.

“For a quarter century, Chandra has made discovery after amazing discovery,” says Pat Slane, director of the Chandra X-ray Center located at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “Astronomers have used Chandra to investigate mysteries that we didn’t even know about when we were building the telescope — including exoplanets and dark energy.”

A single LEGO minifigure stands alone on a shiny, reflective black surface. It is a small figure with a golden-yellow torso and light-colored arms. No other objects or details are visible in the entirely black background. — ‘On July 23, 1999, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory was released from space shuttle Columbia’s payload bay. 25 years later, Chandra continues to make valuable discoveries about high-energy sources and phenomena across the Universe.’ | NASA

Chandra enables X-ray astronomy, which helps astronomers answer the biggest mysteries of the Universe. X-rays are especially adept for observing extremely hot, energetic objects and processes in space, and many fascinating parts of space glow strongly in X-ray wavelengths, including stars, galaxies, and even planets.

The 25 new Chandra images below are just 0.1% of the 25,000 observations the X-ray telescope has performed in the last quarter century.

A vibrant, colorful image of the Crab Nebula, showcasing a complex web of gas clouds and dust. Bright blue, pink, and purple hues dominate the swirling patterns, set against the black backdrop of space, illustrating the nebula's intricate structure and energetic core. — The Crab Nebula is the result of a bright supernova explosion witnessed by Chinese and other astronomers in 1054 A.D. Chandra sees the rings around the pulsar and the jets blasting into space. *X-rays from Chandra (blue-violet and white) and IXPE (purple); optical from Hubble (red, green, and blue)*

This image of deep space features a colorful nebula with purples, blues, and reds, adorned with numerous bright, twinkling stars scattered throughout. A bright pink light glows at the center, surrounded by wisps of cosmic dust and gas. — One of the closest regions of star formation to Earth, newly-formed stars in the Orion Nebula are detected by Chandra. *X-rays from Chandra (magenta) and infrared from Webb (red, green, and blue)*

A cosmic scene showing a cluster of galaxies with a mix of bright, glowing pink and purple gas clouds, dark streaks, and dim white light. Various stars and smaller galaxies are scattered in the background of the dark space. — This system contains a pair of merging galaxies in the Virgo Cluster and the multimillion-degree gas emits X-rays detected by Chandra. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical from ESO (red, green, blue)*

A vibrant image of deep space showing a colorful nebula. The scene features bright pinks, reds, and purples, with clusters of stars scattered throughout. The nebula has a swirling, cloudy appearance with dark and light patches creating a dynamic cosmic landscape. — The Cat’s Paw is a nebula where stars are forming in the Milky Way galaxy. X-rays from Chandra show populations of young stars. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical and H-alpha from ESO/MPG (red, green, and blue); infrared from Spitzer (red, green, and blue)*

An expansive view of a colorful nebula in deep space. Nebula clouds of purple, red, and white are illuminated by bright stars scattered throughout the scene. Wisps of gas and dust create a stunning, ethereal effect against a backdrop of countless stars. — The center of our Milky Way is blocked by gas and dust in many types of light, but X-rays can penetrate and reveal threads of superheated gas and bursts from our galaxy’s supermassive black hole. *X-rays from Chandra (orange, green, blue, and purple); radio image from MeerKAT (lilac)*

A vivid telescope image of the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula. Towering gas and dust structures are colorfully illuminated, against a backdrop of a star-studded space and orange-red nebulosity. The scene is awe-inspiring and otherworldly. — This region of star formation contains the Pillars of Creation, which was made famous by the Hubble Space Telescope. Chandra detects X-rays from young stars in the region, including one embedded in a pillar. *X-rays from Chandra (red and blue); infrared image from Webb (red, green, and blue)*

A stunning image of a nebula with dark clouds of interstellar dust and bright, multicolored stars scattered throughout. Vibrant purple, blue, and orange lights illuminate portions of the cosmic scene, creating a striking contrast against the dark background. — A young star with a planet forming disk is casting a shadow in the shape of a bat across a more distant cloud behind it. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical image from Hubble (red, green, and blue)*

An image of the spiral galaxy IC 5332 captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. The galaxy's bright core and spiral arms are visible, with bright red and blue stars scattered around it. A red cross-shaped lens flare effect originates from the core of the galaxy. — NGC 7469 is a spiral galaxy, seen face on, that contains a growing supermassive black hole. Chandra shows hot gas near the black hole. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical/IR from Hubble (red, green, and blue); infrared image from Webb (red, green, and blue)*

A vibrant image of outer space showcasing numerous galaxies and stars. A central luminous area emits a bright, purple glow, surrounded by dark, inky space scattered with bright points of light and colorful nebulous streaks, creating an ethereal cosmic scene. — Hot gas detected by Chandra is being pulled away from this elliptical galaxy as it moves through a galaxy cluster at about three million miles per hour. *X-rays from Chandra (purple) and XMM-Newton (blue); optical images from Digitized Sky Survey (red, green, and blue) and Palomar (red, green, and blue)*

A vibrant image of a star field featuring a luminous Wolf-Rayet star surrounded by a bright, purplish-red nebula. The star radiates intense light, casting a majestic glow amid numerous smaller, twinkling stars scattered across the dark, starry background. — WR 124 is a rare type of Wolf-Rayet star, a bright, massive star experiencing a short-lived phase in its evolution. A dense wind from the star may prevent the detection with Chandra of a neutron star companion. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); infrared from Herschel, Spitzer, WISE (blue) and Webb (red, green, and blue)*

A cosmic image depicting a glowing purple nebula with swirling clouds of gas and dust against a starry black background. Bright regions near the center suggest intense light or heat sources, while yellow stars dot the surrounding space. — This supernova remnant, the debris from an exploded star, shows a bright nebula in the center surrounded by a much larger diffuse cloud of X-rays. *X-rays from Chandra (purple and orange); infrared from Spitzer (yellow); radio from VLA (yellow)*

Image of the Centaurus A galaxy captured in stunning detail. It shows a bright central core with jets of light and gas radiating outward, set against a background of numerous stars scattered across the dark expanse of space. — At the center of the Centaurus A galaxy is a supermassive black hole that sends enormous jets out into space, which are detected by Chandra. *X-rays from Chandra (red, green, blue) and IXPE (red, green, and blue); optical from ESO/MPG 2.2m (red, green, and blue)*

A cosmic explosion captured in deep space, showcasing an intricate nebula with vibrant blue, pink, and purple hues. Stars are scattered throughout the black, star-studded background, highlighting the nebula's glowing, wispy structure. — The Cassiopeia A supernova remnant has been observed for more than 2 million seconds since the start of the Chandra mission in 1999. *X-rays from Chandra (blue); infrared from Webb (orange, white, and blue)*

A vibrant and colorful image of the cosmos featuring a sea of stars and galaxies of various sizes and brightness. Predominant colors include shades of purple, blue, red, and white, with some bright clusters standing out against the dark backdrop of space. — NGC 3532 (also called the “Wishing Well Cluster”) is a cluster of middle-aged stars — about 300 million years old — that covers nearly twice the size of the full Moon on the sky. *X-rays from Chandra (purple and white); optical from ESO/MPG 2.2m (red, green, and blue)*

A vibrant image of a galaxy against the backdrop of space. The galaxy is highlighted in bright pink and purple hues, with a bright core and sprawling arms. Surrounding it are numerous stars and other distant galaxies, creating a mysterious and awe-inspiring scene. — The barred spiral galaxy NGC 6872 is interacting with a smaller galaxy to the upper left. The smaller galaxy has likely stripped gas from NGC 6872 to feed the supermassive black hole in its center. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical from Hubble (red, green, and blue)*

A blend of bright pink, blue, and purple clouds of gas and dust dominate the image, resembling a cosmic explosion. The vivid colors and nebulous shapes are set against a dark space backdrop sprinkled with stars. The scene suggests a stellar event or nebula. — Planetary nebula HB 5, an end phase of a Sun-like star, was discovered by famous astronomer Edwin Hubble. X-rays from hot gas in HB 5 are detected by Chandra. *X-rays from Chandra (blue and white); optical from Hubble (red, purple, blue); radio image from ALMA (yellow and white)*

An image of deep space shows a starry sky with bright purple and white clusters of galaxies. The vibrant purple hue highlights the presence of glowing gases or other celestial phenomena against a dark background populated with numerous smaller stars and galaxies. — There are several clouds of superheated gas, seen by Chandra, that are merging in the Abell 2125 galaxy cluster. *X-rays from Chandra (purple and white); optical from Kitt Peak (gold)*

A celestial image displays a swirling cosmic cloud of orange, pink, blue, and purple gas and dust, illuminated by bright stars. The center is a dark void, creating a striking contrast with the vibrant colors and the scattered star formations within the nebula. — Astronomers nicknamed this region of star formation the “Cosmic Cliffs,” which is found in the nearby Carina Nebula. X-rays from young stars in two clusters are detected by Chandra. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); infrared from Webb (yellow, green, cyan, and blue)*

A vibrant image of a galaxy with a bright, glowing core surrounded by swirling red and orange clouds. Blue lights dot the surrounding area, resembling stars or cosmic phenomena, set against a dark space backdrop. — This spiral galaxy contains a supermassive black hole and stars rapidly forming in its center. Chandra sees X-rays from gas near the massive black hole and from smaller black holes or neutron stars pulling material from companion stars. *X-rays from Chandra (blue); optical from VLT (yellow and blue); infrared from Webb (red, green, and blue)*

This image depicts a colorful cosmic nebula set against a black background studded with stars. The nebula features vibrant blue and orange hues, with wavy, cloud-like formations. The overall effect is a glowing, ethereal appearance within the vast expanse of space. — Pulsar wind nebulas like MSH 15-52 are clouds of energetic particles, producing X-rays, that are driven away from dead collapsed stars. *X-rays from Chandra (gold and blue); infrared from the Dark Energy Camera KPNO Blanco 4.0m (red and blue)*

A vivid image of a galaxy cluster captured by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope. The central galaxy glows intensely in pink and purple hues, surrounded by numerous smaller galaxies, with dark space punctuated by scattered, distant stars. — Chandra observations of Arp 220 give insight into what happens when two galaxies about the size of the Milky Way collide. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical and infrared from Hubble (red, green, and blue)*

A composite image showing Jupiter in the center with its distinct bands and the Great Red Spot visible. Surrounding Jupiter are bright, purple x-ray emissions against a black background. The emissions create an ethereal, nebulous effect around the planet. — The fifth planet from the Sun and largest in the Solar System and known to have X-ray-producing aurora around its poles. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); infrared from Hubble (red, green, and blue)*

A mesmerizing image of a dense star cluster surrounded by a blue nebula. The sky is dotted with countless bright stars, twinkling in various colors. Wisps of blue nebula gas stretch across the scene, adding depth and a sense of motion to the cosmic landscape. — NGC 1850 is a bright, double star cluster that lies in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small neighbor galaxy to the Milky Way. It contains a black hole with a mass of about 11 Suns, and a companion star. No clear detection of X-rays with Chandra implies that the black hole is not quickly pulling material away from its companion. *X-rays from Chandra (magenta); optical from Hubble (red, yellow, green, cyan, blue); infrared from Spitzer (red)*

An image of a galaxy cluster with a bright purple-hued center, surrounded by numerous white and yellowish galaxies against a dark space background. The purple hue represents the presence of hot gas emitting X-rays, highlighting the cluster's core. — Galaxy clusters like MACS J0035 are the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity. They contain huge amounts of hot gas that produces X-rays seen with X-ray telescopes like Chandra. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical from Hubble (gold)*

A vibrant image of a distant galaxy in space. At the center, a bright, pink glowing ring surrounds a star, resembling a halo. Numerous stars of varying sizes and colors are scattered across the dark backdrop, with some areas showing nebula-like red and orange hues. — The supernova explosion that created this object was first observed on Earth in February 1987. Chandra sees X-rays produced by debris from the explosion. *X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical and infrared from Hubble (red, green, blue); infrared from Webb (red, green, and blue)*

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program, while the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center handles scientific operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts and flight operations in Burlington, Massachusetts. Northrup Grumman in Redondo Beach, California, was the primary contractor for building the spacecraft.

Image credits: NASA/SAO/CXC. Image captions courtesy of NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory team.

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