Hubble Spots 'Serene Cosmic Rosebud' Megamaser With Two Cores

NASA has published an image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope of a megamaser, something the space agency describes as a 'beautiful and serene cosmic rosebud.' A megamaser is a very bright 'process' that, says NASA, radiates intense energy. This particular megamaser has been dubbed IRAS 16399-0937, and it emits microwaves. On camera, it looks nothing short of stunning.

A megamaser is something like 100 million times brighter than the Milky Way's masers, according to NASA, which says this particular megamaser is located 370 or so light years from our own planet. Though to us it looks like a quiet, bright, beautiful mass, the space agency describes its appearance as somewhat deceptive — this megamaser is extremely energetic.

The image you see above is a composition that includes 'observations' from multiple wavelengths. NASA says, this data was grabbed using the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer, and the Advanced Camera for Surveys, on the Hubble telescope.

The first of those two tools, says NASA, enabled researchers to see the megamaser with excellent resolution and sensitivity, ultimately resulting in an image with a very great level of detail. Even more exciting, astronomers say that the megamaser has a pair of nucleus with the core, likely at least, being made of two wholly separate cores merging into one. The cores are more than 11,000 light years apart from each other. As well, NASA says there's a black hole hosted by one of the nucleus.

SOURCE: NASA