Galactic_Bulge_INTEGRAL_IBIS_JEM_v2



The Galactic bulge through INTEGRAL’s eyes


Date: 17 Oct 2012
Copyright: ESA/INTEGRAL/JEM-X/IBIS/Optical image: ESO & S. Brunier
Credits: ESA – C. Carreau & E. Kuulkers

The central region of our Milky Way, the Galactic bulge, is a rich host of variable high-energy X-ray and gamma-ray sources. After a short introduction illustrating INTEGRAL’s place in ESA’s fleet of astronomy and astrophysics satellites, the video looks inside the central part of our Galaxy to reveal these dynamic sources, which include X-ray binary systems with either a black hole or a neutron star, pulsars and remnants of supernova explosions. Superimposed on an optical image of the Galactic bulge are the sources of high-energy radiation detected by INTEGRAL. The video presents observations made between February 2005 and October 2011. A number of these sources only shine brightly for a limited period of time – in some cases, they appear as a sudden bright flash and disappear shortly afterwards, whereas others are more persistent. The effect of this constantly changing environment gives the Galactic bulge the appearance of a dramatic cosmic light show. The first part of the video combines data gathered with JEM-X at soft X-ray energies (between 3 and 25 keV; represented in red, orange and yellow) and with IBIS/ISGRI at hard X-ray energies (between 18 and 100 keV; represented in blue, purple and white). The second part of the video shows the view by JEM-X and IBIS/ISGRI, separately.


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Last Update: 2 Nov 2012


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