Celebrating 25 Years of Chandra X-ray Observatory

The Crab Nebula (M1) - The Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant, showcases a spectacular mix of high-energy particles and magnetic fields. This image reveals the intricate structure of the nebula, highlighting the pulsar at its heart which powers the emission. Image Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO 

Orion Nebula - Newly-formed stars in the Orion Nebula are detected by Chandra. X-rays from Chandra (magenta) and infrared from Webb (red, green, and blue). Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/K. Arcand and J. Major 

The Eyes Galaxies (NGC 4438 & 4435) This system contains a pair of merging galaxies in the Virgo Cluster. X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical from ESO (red, green, blue). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: ESO; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major 

The Cat's Paw Nebula (NGC 6334) The Cat’s Paw is a nebula where stars are forming in the Milky Way galaxy. X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical and H-alpha from ESO/MPG (red, green, and blue); infrared from Spitzer (red, green, and blue). Credit: X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Optical and H-alpha: ESO/MPG; Infrared: NASA/JPL-CalTech/Spitzer; Image Processing: Jason Major 

The Milky Way's Galactic Center The center of our Milky Way is blocked by gas and dust, but X-rays reveal superheated gas and bursts from our galaxy’s supermassive black hole. X-rays from Chandra (orange, green, blue, and purple); radio image from MeerKAT (lilac). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UMass/Q.D. Wang; Radio: NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk 

M16 (Eagle Nebula) This region contains the Pillars of Creation. Chandra detects X-rays from young stars. X-rays from Chandra (red and blue); infrared image from Webb (red, green, and blue).Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXO/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare 

Bat Shadow (Serpens Cloud) A young star with a planet-forming disk casts a bat-shaped shadow. X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical image from Hubble (red, green, and blue). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major 

NGC 7469 NGC 7469 is a spiral galaxy with a growing supermassive black hole. X-rays from Chandra (purple); optical/IR from Hubble (red, green, and blue); infrared image from Webb (red, green, and blue). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Xiamen Univ./X. Xu; Optical/Infrared: NASA/ESA/UVA, NRAO, SUNY at Stony Brook/A. S. Evans, Hubble Heritage–ESA/Hubble Collaboration; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/L. Armus, A. S. Evans; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major 

Virgo Cluster (including M86) Hot gas detected by Chandra is pulled away from this elliptical galaxy as it moves through a galaxy cluster at about three million miles per hour. X-rays from Chandra (purple) and XMM-Newton (blue); optical from Digitized Sky Survey and Palomar (red, green, and blue). Credit: X-ray: (Chandra) NASA/CXC/SAO; (XMM) ESA; H-alpha: NoirLab/NSF/KPNO; Optical: SDSS; CalTech/Palomar; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major and K. Arcand 

WR 124 is a rare type of Wolf-Rayet star. A dense wind from the star may prevent the detection of a neutron star companion. X-rays from Chandra (purple); infrared from Herschel, Spitzer, WISE (blue) and Webb (red, green, and blue). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: (Herschel) ESA/NASA/Caltech, (Spitzer) NASA/JPL/Caltech, (WISE) NASA/JPL/Caltech; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Webb ERO Production Team; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major 

Supernova Remnant G21.5-0.9 This supernova remnant shows a bright nebula in the center surrounded by a larger diffuse cloud of X-rays. X-rays from Chandra (purple and orange); infrared from Spitzer (yellow); radio from VLA (yellow). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/JPL/CalTech/Spitzer; Radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare 

Centaurus A At the center of Centaurus A is a supermassive black hole that sends enormous jets into space. X-rays from Chandra and IXPE; optical from ESO. Credit: X-ray: (Chandra) NASA/CXC/SAO, (IXPE) NASA/MSFC; Optical: ESO; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/K. Arcand, J. Major 

Cassiopeia A The Cassiopeia A supernova remnant has been observed for over 2 million seconds since the start of the Chandra mission in 1999. X-rays from Chandra (blue); infrared from Webb (orange, white, and blue). Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/D. Milisavljevic (Purdue Univ.), I. De Looze (UGent), T. Temim (Princeton Univ.); Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major, J. Schmidt and K. Arcand 

NGC 3532 NGC 3532 (the “Wishing Well Cluster”) is a cluster of middle-aged stars, about 300 million years old. X-rays from Chandra (purple and white); optical from ESO. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: ESO; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major 

NGC 6872 The barred spiral galaxy NGC 6872 is interacting with a smaller galaxy to the upper left. X-rays from Chandra; optical from NASA/ESA/STScI. Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt, L. Frattare, and J. Major 

Hb 5 - Planetary nebula HB 5, showcasing a Sun-like star’s end phase, reveals X-rays from hot gas (Chandra in blue and white), optical details (Hubble in red, purple, blue), and radio waves (ALMA in yellow and white). Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Radio: NSF/ESO/NRAO/ALMA; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/K. Arcand, J. Major.

Abell 2125 - The Abell 2125 galaxy cluster displays merging clouds of superheated gas, with prominent X-rays (Chandra in purple and white) and optical highlights (Kitt Peak in gold). Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NSF/NOIRLab/KPNO/F. Owen; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major, K. Arcand.

NGC 3324 - The “Cosmic Cliffs” in the Carina Nebula show star clusters in a golden cloud ring. X-rays from young stars (Chandra in purple) and infrared details (Webb in yellow, green, cyan, blue) are depicted. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Ludwig Maximilian Univ./T. Preibisch et al.; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk.

NGC 1365 - This spiral galaxy’s core, hosting a supermassive black hole, shows X-rays from surrounding gas (Chandra in blue), stars, and smaller black holes (Chandra in white with blue edges). Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: ESO/VLT; Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI/JWST/PHANGS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare, J. Major.

MSH 15-52 - Pulsar wind nebula MSH 15-52, showing a skeletal hand reaching for a glowing ember, features X-rays from the pulsar and surrounding cloud (Chandra in gold and blue). Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/JPL-Caltech/DECaPS; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt.

Arp 220 - The Arp 220 galaxy, formed by colliding Milky Way-sized galaxies, is surrounded by a soft, rose-pink X-ray cloud (Chandra). Optical and infrared details show distant galaxies and stars. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare, J. Major.

Jupiter - Jupiter’s image highlights X-ray auroras at its poles (Chandra in purple) and detailed gas bands. Surrounding hazy purple blobs represent X-rays from Jupiter’s auroras. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major, S. Wolk.

NGC 1850 - The double star cluster NGC 1850 in the Large Magellanic Cloud shows X-ray sources (Chandra in magenta), optical stars (Hubble in red, yellow, green, cyan, blue), and an infrared cloud (Spitzer in red). Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/JPL/CalTech/Spitzer; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major, K. Arcand.

MACS J0035 - Galaxy cluster MACS J0035, filled with golden specks of galaxies, is surrounded by a purple cloud of hot gas observed in X-rays by Chandra. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major.

SN 1987A - Supernova SN 1987A, observed in the Large Magellanic Cloud, is depicted with X-rays from the blast wave (Chandra in purple), a glowing ring, and surrounding stars. Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical/Infrared: NASA/ESA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Major.