COSMIC REVERBERATIONS (PDF-1215)

We have had a very active Sun these last days. Also, recently released is this X-ray image of the center of our galaxy, in particular a point called Sagittarius A (Sgr A). In the enclosed image, low-energy X-rays (300 to 1,500 electron volts) are in red, medium-energy X-rays (1,500 to 3,000 electron volts) are in green, and high-energy X-rays (3,000 to 10,000) electron volts are shown in blue. At the center of these X-rays is a supermassive black hole that was very active in the ancient past, but even today produces bursts of X-ray flares every five or so days. Scientists have discovered near this massive black hole a neutron star, which is the crushed core of a supernova explosion, with mass equivalent to a half-million Earths now smashed to an object the size of Washington.