NASA's Chandra telescope uses 'X-arithmetic' to reveal how black holes shape galaxy clusters (images)

New images from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory give galaxy clusters a bold new splash of color, highlighting the beauty of these cosmic giants.

Galaxy clusters are the most massive objects in the universe held together by gravity, containing galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter, offering clues on how cosmic structures form and evolve. Many host central supermassive black holes, whose powerful outbursts create jets and bubbles that transfer energy to surrounding gas, producing complex structures like hooks, rings, arcs and wings.

Using a novel image-processing technique called "X‑arithmetic," scientists were able to study the nature of different features in the hot gas of galaxy clusters, revealing the dramatic influence of supermassive black holes in vivid detail, according to a statemen