Stellar Pre-Winter Seasonal Offerings | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
For many, nothing evokes fall more than fallen leaves. In this view of NGC 6334, glowing pockets of dust and gas in the nebula resemble leaves that have been picked up by a wind gust. This region is actually home to strong winds blowing from the young stars that have formed there. This image contains X-ray data from Chandra (blue, green, and yellow) that shows the effects of these winds, which have been combined with infrared data from the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope (red, brown), which shows the dust and gas that fuels the growing stars.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Infrared: NASA/JPL/CalTech/Spitzer; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt
Born after a violent explosion of a star, this cosmic gourd is the supernova remnant G272.2-03.2. X-ray observations (orange and magenta) from Chandra provide evidence that G272 is the result of a Type Ia supernova explosion, where a white dwarf star pulls material from a companion star until it triggers a thermonuclear explosion and obliterates the star. The inside of the “pumpkin” is superheated gas that is filling the space cleared out by the explosion as it moves outward.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SA0; Optical: NOIRLab/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare
Multiple telescopes teamed up to capture an image that looks like a cozy sweater with fuzzy arms. X-rays from Chandra and ESA’s XMM-Newton (purple), optical light data from Hubble and the Very Large Telescope in Chile (orange, red, and violet), and an optical image from astrophotographers Bob Fera and Steve Mandel (deep blue) combine to reveal R Aquarii. Nestled within the cozy ‘body’ of R Aquarii is a pair of stars where a white dwarf is pulling material from a much larger red giant companion. When enough material accumulates on the surface of the white dwarf, it triggers an outburst that sends a jet out into space. Over time, these jets twist and loop around each other weaving the structure seen today.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; ESA/XMM-Newton; Optical HST: NASA/ESA/STScI; Optical Ground: Deep Space Remote observatories/B. Fera and S. Mandel; ESO/VLT; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare
A cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket that traditionally carries fruits and vegetables. There is nothing edible in this pair of galactic cornucopias but there are a bounty of stars, dust, and other ingredients than make up these two spiral galaxies, known as NGC 2207 (right) and IC 2163 (left), that we see face-on. This view of NGC 2207 and IC 2163 takes a James Webb infrared image (white, gray, and red) and adds the X-ray view from Chandra (blue). Together, it is quite an eye-catching result.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Webb; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare
Four images that one can imagine connections to fall have been released by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The images are the star-forming region NGC 6334, supernova remnant G272.2-0.3, interacting spiral galaxies NGC 2207 and IC 2163, as well as R Aquarii. Each image contains X-rays from Chandra that have been combined with data from other telescopes that detect different types of light. Pareidolia is the phenomenon that allows people to see familiar patterns or shapes in data. Before fall gives way to winter in the northern hemisphere, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has several images that celebrate autumn and its many delights to share. In spirit of the season, this collection gathers Chandra data with those from its telescopic family including NASA’s James Webb, Hubble, and Spitzer Space Telescopes, plus others in space and on the ground.
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is being canceled in NASA's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request, along with 18 other active science missions. NASA's science budget is being reduced by nearly 50%. NASA's total budget will become the lowest since 1961, after accounting for inflation.
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Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
Release Date: Nov. 24, 2025
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