Chandra Release - September 6, 2001

Visual Description: EMSS 1358+6245

The cluster of galaxies EMSS 1358+6245 is about 4 billion light years away in the constellation Draco and is shown in this Chandra X-ray Observatory image. When the image data is combined with Chandra's X-ray spectrum, scientists determined that the mass of dark matter in the cluster is about 4 times that of normal matter. The image captures the galaxy's brightness in X-ray light, revealing its underlying structure and features.  In the center of the image, there is a bright yellow core. This represents the core of the galaxy, which emits high levels of X-ray radiation due to the presence of a supermassive black hole at its center.  The surrounding areas of the image are less bright, but still visible in tones of orange, showcasing the galaxy's diffuse halo of gas and dust.  Compared to familiar everyday objects, the inner brighter structure resembles a blurry guitar with the head pointing to 7 o’clock.