3C 321, Death Star Galaxy
Composite image of galaxy system 3C 321. A stream of energy is erupting from the "Death Star Galaxy". X-rays from Chandra (purple), optical and UV data from Hubble (red and orange), and radio emission from the VLA and MERLIN (blue) show how the jet from the main galaxy on the lower left is striking its companion galaxy to the upper right. The jet impacts the companion galaxy at its edge and is then disrupted and deflected. 3C 321 is a system of two galaxies rotating around each other. They are notable for showing the first observed galaxy smiting another galaxy with a blast of energy, which is theorized to be from a supermassive black hole at the center of the former galaxy. The larger galaxy, dubbed the "Death Star Galaxy" by NASA astronomers, has an energetic jet directed towards its companion. The Chandra data shows that the jet must have struck the companion galaxy less than a million years short cosmic time frame makes this event a very rare phenomenon.
Size: 3600px × 2627px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 321, 3c, 3c321, array, astronomy, black, cannabilism, chandra, companion, death, galaxies, galaxy, hole, hst, hubble, image, jet, large, merlin, nasa, space, star, supermassive, telescope, vla
