Credit: NASA/IoA/A.Fabian et al.
Perseus and the Gorgon's Head
The Gorgons, in Greek mythology, were a trio of hideous sisters. The best
known Gorgon, Medusa, was killed by the hero Perseus. A recent observation
in the constellation Perseus by the Chandra X-ray
observatory apparently found the Gorgon's head. Chandra obtained the above
image, which apparently shows a skull staring into space. In reality, this
"skull" is produced by variations in X-ray emission due to hot gas near the
Perseus cluster of galaxies. The bright spot at the center of the image is
thought signal the presence of a supermassive black hole at the core of
Perseus A, the largest galaxy in the cluster. The "eyes" are thought to be
buoyant magnetized bubbles of energetic particles produced near the black
hole - each is nearly as big as the Milky Way. This Gorgon is a cannibal
too - the Gorgon's "nose" is thought to be a dark spot produced by cool gas
in a galaxy being swallowed by the central black hole in Perseus A.
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Page Author: Dr. Michael F.
Last modified July 23, 2000