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Collection:
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NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Gorilla Black Hole in the Mist
Title
Gorilla Black Hole in the Mist
Title
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Original Caption Released with Image:
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This false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a distant galaxy (yellow) that houses a quasar, a super-massive black hole circled by a ring, or torus, of gas and dust. Spitzer's infrared eyes cut through the dust to find this hidden object, which appears to be a member of the long-sought population of missing quasars. The green and blue splotches are galaxies that do not hold quasars.
Astronomers had predicted that most quasars are blocked from our view by their tori, or by surrounding dust-drenched galaxies, making them difficult to find. Because infrared light can travel through gas and dust, Spitzer was able to detect enough of these objects to show that there is most likely a large population of obscured quasars.
In addition to the quasar-bearing galaxy shown here, Spitzer discovered 20 others in a small patch of sky. Astronomers identified the quasars with the help of radio data from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico. While normal galaxies do not produce strong radio waves, many galaxies with quasars appear bright when viewed with radio telescopes.
In this image, infrared data from Spitzer is colored both blue (3.6 microns) and green (24 microns), and radio data from the Very Large Array telescope is colored red. The quasar-bearing galaxy stands out in yellow because it emits both infrared and radio light.
Of the 21 quasars uncovered by Spitzer, astronomers believe that 10 are hidden by their dusty tori, while the rest are altogether buried in dusty galaxies. The quasar inside the galaxy pictured here is of the type that is obscured by its torus.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
This false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a distant galaxy (yellow) that houses a quasar, a super-massive black hole circled by a ring, or torus, of gas and dust. Spitzer's infrared eyes cut through the dust to find this hidden object, which appears to be a member of the long-sought population of missing quasars. The green and blue splotches are galaxies that do not hold quasars.
Astronomers had predicted that most quasars are blocked from our view by their tori, or by surrounding dust-drenched galaxies, making them difficult to find. Because infrared light can travel through gas and dust, Spitzer was able to detect enough of these objects to show that there is most likely a large population of obscured quasars.
In addition to the quasar-bearing galaxy shown here, Spitzer discovered 20 others in a small patch of sky. Astronomers identified the quasars with the help of radio data from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico. While normal galaxies do not produce strong radio waves, many galaxies with quasars appear bright when viewed with radio telescopes.
In this image, infrared data from Spitzer is colored both blue (3.6 microns) and green (24 microns), and radio data from the Very Large Array telescope is colored red. The quasar-bearing galaxy stands out in yellow because it emits both infrared and radio light.
Of the 21 quasars uncovered by Spitzer, astronomers believe that 10 are hidden by their dusty tori, while the rest are altogether buried in dusty galaxies. The quasar inside the galaxy pictured here is of the type that is obscured by its torus.
Original Caption Released with Image
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/Oxf ord University
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Oxf ord University
Image Credit
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Produced By:
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California Institute of Technology
Oxford University
Produced_By
California Institute of Technology
Oxford University
Produced By
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Mission:
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Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Mission
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Mission
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Spacecraft:
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Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft
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Target Name:
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AMS08
Target_Name
AMS08
Target Name
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Instrument:
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Instrument
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Instrument
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Instrument:
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Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS)
Instrument
Multiband Imaging Photometer (MIPS)
Instrument
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Instrument:
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Very Large Array (VLA)
Instrument
Very Large Array (VLA)
Instrument
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Product Size:
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2099 samples x 2100 lines
Product_Size
2099 samples x 2100 lines
Product Size
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Producer ID:
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SSC2005-17
Producer_ID
SSC2005-17
Producer ID
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facet_what:
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SST
facet_what
SST
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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MIPS
facet_what
MIPS
facet_what
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facet_what:
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VLA
facet_what
VLA
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Very Large Array
facet_what
Very Large Array
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
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facet_where:
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California
facet_where
California
facet_where
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facet_where:
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New Mexico
facet_where
New Mexico
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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Image #:
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PIA08001
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UID:
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SPD-PHOTJ-PIA08001
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA08001
UID
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orignial url:
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orignial_url
orignial url
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