Margaret Ansell

ALT This composite image features a region of star formation known as the Pillars of Creation. Here, tall columns of grey gas and dust emerge from the bottom edge of the image, stretching toward our upper right. Backed by dark orange and pink mist, the cloudy grey columns are surrounded by dozens of soft, glowing, dots in whites, reds, blues, yellows, and purples. These dots are young stars emitting X-ray and infrared light. Churning with turbulent gas and dust, the columns lean to our right with small offshoots pointing in the same direction. The misty glow, colorful stars, and lifelike grey dust formations combine to create an image of yearning cloud creatures at dusk, reaching for something just out of frame.

ALT This image features the Cassiopeia A supernova, an expanding ball of matter and energy ejected from an exploding star. Here, rings of neon blue and brilliant white emit veins of polished gold. The rings and their arching veins encircle a place of relative calm at the center of the supernova remnant. This hole at the center of the circle, and the three-dimensionality conveyed by the rings and their arching veins, give this image of Cassiopeia A the look of a giant, crackling, electric blue donut. X-rays detected by Chandra show debris from the destroyed star and the blast wave from the explosion.

ALT In this composite image, a bright, massive star, WR 124, gleams with diffraction spikes, surrounded by a churning wind cloud in reds and purples. With its dusty rose coloring, and the bright, gleaming star at its core, the wind cloud resembles the inside of a delicate flower with opening petals. Dozens of other bright stars surround WR 124, including white dots rimmed with neon purple, and gleaming white dots with cool blue diffraction spikes. The purple dots are stars detected with Chandra.

ALT This composite image features a close look at the supermassive black hole at the heart of the spiral galaxy known as NGC 1365. The brilliant black hole glows white at the center of the image, its outer edges tinted bright blue. From this core, two thick ropey red arms spiral out. Continuing their spiral curves, the arms extend well beyond the edges of the frame. Dotting the image are a series of white spots with neon blue outer edges. These are stars paired with smaller black holes or neutron stars, observed by Chandra.