
Unlike the Hubble, which only records visual light, the Chandra can pick up the massive blasts of x-ray radiation released by dying super novas, spinning neutron stars and ravenous black holes. In the picture above, low-energy X-rays are colored red, medium energy green and high energy blue. The three turquoise spots represent sources of X-ray radiation. The center spot is the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*, and the two flanking spots are stars feeding material into the black hole.
The image also commemorates the tenth anniversary of the Chandra telescope, which was launched on July 23rd, 1999. The third of four space telescopes that cover the range of the electromagnetic spectrum, Chandra was only slated to run for five years, but could continue operating until the next X-ray space telescope arrives in 2020.
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Science is reinventing play, from extreme sports to gamification to ridiculous roller coasters to the playgrounds of tomorrow, and this issue is chock full of fun. Also, on a less fun note: Did global warming destroy my hometown?