The picture shows the Galactic Centre as observed with
IBIS/ISGRI onboard INTEGRAL. For this image a total
of 7 Ms observation time was used, giving an effective
exposure time at the position of Sgr A* of 4.7 Ms.
The angular scale of this picture is about 2.5 degree x 1.5 degree.
Results of this observation, which also include spectra extracted
for the central source for both JEM-X and IBIS/ISGRI are described
in a paper by Bélanger et al. (
accepted by ApJ). The main result
is that the central source near Sgr A* is not a point source, but
likely a diffuse, but compact, source. It also shows that the
source is faint, but persistent with no variability above 3 sigma.
This picture can be compared with the INTEGRAL picture of the
month for November 2003 which shows the same region with an
effective exposure time of 0.85 Ms.
The picture shows significances ranging from 3 sigma (black) to
greater than 60 sigma (white). The contours mark significance
levels from 9.5 to 75 linearly.
