The Eyes Galaxies: NGC 4438 & 4435 | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

The Eyes Galaxies: NGC 4438 & 4435 | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

This composite image features a pair of merging galaxies, each resembling a brilliant white dot, earning the pair the nickname ‘The Eyes’. Near our lower left is the galaxy NGC 4438. This bright white dot is surrounded by a neon purple cloud of hot gas seen with Chandra. An inky black cloud nestled in a vertical strip of haze partially blocks our view of the neon purple, superheated gas. At our upper right is the second galaxy, NGC 4435. This bright white dot is surrounded by a thin, neon purple ring. The galaxy sits in the center of a glowing white streak, at the heart of a misty white pool. Flecks of white and neon purple speckle the image, set against the blackness of space.

This system contains a pair of merging galaxies in the Virgo Cluster and the multimillion-degree gas emits X-rays detected by NASA's Chandra x-ray observatory. In this image, x-rays from Chandra (purple) and optical light from the European Southern Observatory (red, green, blue) are visible.

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: ESO

Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major

Image Date: Aug. 15, 2024

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