Galaxy Collision Switches on Black Hole
This composite image of data from three different telescopes shows an ongoing collision between two galaxies, NGC 6872 and IC 4970. X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is shown in purple, while Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared data is red and optical data from ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) is colored red, green and blue.
来自三个不同望远镜显示两个星系的撞击场面，NGC6872和IC4970.紫色区域为钱德拉X射线拍摄，红色区域为斯皮策空间望远镜拍摄，可见光区域来自欧南天文台甚大望远镜(VLT)（位于智利的帕瑞纳天文台，4台8.2米口径）
Astronomers think that supermassive black holes exist at the center of most galaxies. Not only do the galaxies and black holes seem to co-exist, they are apparently inextricably linked in their evolution. To better understand this symbiotic relationship, scientists have turned to rapidly growing black holes -- so-called active galactic nucleus (AGN) -- to study how they are affected by their galactic environments.
天文学家认为超大质量的黑洞位于大多数星系中心。星系与黑洞的关系不仅仅是感官上的存在，而且在演变过程中显然有着千丝万缕的联系。为了更好理解他们的共生关系，天文学家转向寻找演变速度相对较快的黑洞，就是所谓的活动星系核(AGN)，以此来研究他们是如何受到星系环境的影响。
The latest data from Chandra and Spitzer show that IC 4970, the small galaxy at the top of the image, contains an AGN, but one that is heavily cocooned in gas and dust. This means in optical light telescopes, like the VLT, there is little to see. X-rays and infrared light, however, can penetrate this veil of material and reveal the light show that is generated as material heats up before falling onto the black hole (seen as a bright point-like source).
来自钱德拉和斯皮策的最新数据显示IC4970，即图像中上方的小星系，包含一个AGN，但是其被气体和尘埃包围着。这就意味着可见光望远镜，像VLT，就是局限性。然而，X射线和红外波长可穿透气体和尘埃并揭示其在坠入黑洞前的加热发光情形（视觉上显示为一明亮的光源）
Despite this obscuring gas and dust around IC 4970, the Chandra data suggest that there is not enough hot gas in IC 4970 to fuel the growth of the AGN. Where, then, does the food supply for this black hole come from? The answer lies with its partner galaxy, NGC 6872. These two galaxies are in the process of undergoing a collision, and the gravitational attraction from IC 4970 has likely pulled over some of NGC 6872's deep reservoir of cold gas (seen prominently in the Spitzer data), providing a new fuel supply to power the giant black hole.
尽管IC4970周围被气体和尘埃围绕，钱德拉的数据显示在IC4970那没有充足的炙热气体以供AGN的成长。难道说AGN成长的能量是来自黑洞？这个问题的答案位于IC4970的邻居NGC6872.两个星系经历一次的碰撞，来自IC4970的引力很可能吸食着NGC6872的冷气团，为这个巨大的黑洞提供新的能量源。
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/photo09-103.html |
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