<p align=center><a href=http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/1154/index.html><img src="http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/1154/1154_xray_s2.jpg" border="0" alt="Click image for more information"></a> <p>Chandra's image of M83 shows numerous point-like neutron star and black hole X-ray sources scattered throughout the disk of this spiral galaxy. The bright nuclear region of the galaxy glows prominently due to a burst of star formation that is estimated to have begun about 20 million years ago in the galaxy's time frame. </p>
What type of light does X-ray pick up? I know that it is the wavelength that reflects off bones, but i dont remember the name. So, each of these objects is reflecting light or giving off light?
The x-rays are created by the hot gasses and various other sourses...visable light is just a small part of the electro-magnetic spectrum; x-rays are just a more energetic form of electro-magnetic radiation... The picture is quite revealing as it shows what the galaxy has eaten...
It picks up...(drumroll)....X-Rays! X-rays are the name given to light that has a wavelength of 10^-1 or 10^-2 nm (roughly) Also, they don't reflect off of bones so much as they are absorbed. X-rays pass through the softer tissue, but are blocked by bones, which results in the familiar X-ray images of people. Chances are, the X-rays in the image are from objects emitting the light rather than reflecting it. I don't think X-rays are very easily reflected... I could be wrong though.
The telescope that took the picture `focused` the x-rays on to a detector. Check out the designs (?) on the net...the incident angles on the reflecting surfaces are very shallow..
