NGC 253
The Silver Coin Galaxy, also known as NGC 253, is one of the nearest
examples of a starburst galaxy — one that forms new stars faster than
typical galaxies. In visible light, the nearly edge-on Silver Coin looks
like a bright, narrow ellipse mottled with dark dust clouds. X-ray data
tell a different story, though, as the image above shows. While the
optical emission (H-alpha; green) is confined to the galaxy’s tilted
disk, the X-ray emission (blue) extends perpendicular to the disk,
tracing immense outflows powered by the galaxy’s fervent star formation.
Millimeter emission (red) rounds out the three-color image. Using
images and spectra from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Sebastian Lopez
(The Ohio State University) and collaborators investigated the physical
properties of the galaxy’s outflows, finding that the galactic winds
expel roughly 6 solar masses of gas each year. Spectral analysis
revealed that the innermost region of the outflows are chemically
enriched, providing a potential source for the metals found in the
sparse gas between the Milky Way and its galactic neighbors. For more
details about this windy starburst galaxy, be sure to check out the full
article linked below!
By Kerry Hensley
Citation
“X-Ray Properties of NGC 253’s Starburst-Driven Outflow,” Sebastian Lopez et al 2023 ApJ 942 108. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aca65e
