Chandra Sees Evidence for Possible Planet in Another Galaxy

Chandra_767a_1024

chandra_767a October 25th, 2021

Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/R. DiStefano, et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/Gendler; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss

Astronomers have found evidence for a possible planet candidate in the M51 ("Whirlpool") galaxy, representing what could be the first planet detected outside of the Milky Way. Chandra detected the temporary dimming of X-rays from a system where a massive star is in orbit around a neutron star or black hole (shown in the artist's illustration). This dimming is interpreted as being a planet that passed in front of an X-ray source around the neutron star or black hole. A composite image of M51 with X-rays from Chandra (purple and blue) and optical light from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (red, green, and blue) contains a box that marks the location of the possible planet candidate.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2021/m51/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Object Name
Whirlpool Galaxy

Distance Details Distance

Universescale2
30,000,000 light years

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 0h 53m 59.5s
DEC = 47° 11’ 43.0”
Constellation
Cassiopeia

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Purple Chandra (ACIS) X-ray -
Pseudocolor Hubble Optical -
Chandra_767a_1280
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ID
767a
Subject Category
Subject Name
Whirlpool Galaxy
Credits
X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/R. DiStefano, et al.; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/Gendler; Illustration: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
Release Date
2021-10-25
Lightyears
30,000,000
Redshift
30,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2021/m51/
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope
Instrument
ACIS, -
Color Assignment
Purple, Pseudocolor
Band
X-ray, Optical
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
13.4980556, 47.1952778
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
767a
Metadata Date
2024-02-01T15:53:17-05:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
30,000,000 light years

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