Universe ID: 10536

Suzaku: Intergalactic Prospector

Released on December 2, 2009

Recently astronomers used the Suzaku orbiting X-ray observatory, operated jointly by NASA and the Japanese space agency, to discover the largest known reservoir of rare metals in the universe. Suzaku detected the elements chromium and manganese while observing the central region of the Perseus galaxy cluster. The metallic atoms are part of the hot gas, or "intergalactic medium," that lies between galaxies. Exploding stars, or supernovas, forge the heavy elements. The supernovas also create vast outflows, called superwinds. These galactic gusts transport heavy elements into the intergalactic void.

For More Information

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/astro-e2/news/intergalactic_metal.html

Credits

Walt Feimer (HTSI): Animator
Chris Meaney (HTSI): Animator
Chris Smith (HTSI): Animator
Cruz deWilde (Avant Gravity): Animator
Dana Berry (Skyworks Digital): Animator
Scott Wiessinger (UMBC): Animator
Scott Wiessinger (UMBC): Video Editor
Michelle Williams (UMBC): Narrator
Scott Wiessinger (UMBC): Producer
Takayuki Tamura (JAXA): Scientist
Koji Mukai (UMBC): Scientist
Daniel Pendick (SP Systems): Writer
Scott Wiessinger (UMBC): Writer

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Portions of this product included work done in cooperation with Space Telescope Science Institute.

Science Paper:
http://www.iop.org/EJ/article/1538-4357/705/1/L62/apjl_705_1_62.text.html

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10536

Mission:
Suzaku

Data Used: