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| | | | | | | Andromeda’s once and future stars
5 January 2011
| The Andromeda Galaxy is our nearest large galactic neighbour, containing several hundred billion stars. Combined, these images show all stages of the stellar life cycle. The infrared image from Herschel shows areas of cool dust that trace reservoirs of gas in which forming stars are embedded. The optical image shows adult stars. XMM-Newton’s X-ray image shows the violent endpoints of stellar evolution, in which individual stars explode or pairs of stars pull each other to pieces.
Credits: infrared: ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/J. Fritz, U. Gent; X-ray: ESA/XMM-Newton/EPIC/W. Pietsch, MPE; optical: R. Gendler | |  |  | |
| | | | | This is the most detailed image of the Andromeda Galaxy ever taken at far-infrared wavelengths. The Herschel infrared space telescope captured the image during Christmas 2010. The large rings of dust that encircle the centre of the galaxy may be the result of a smaller galaxy having collided with Andromeda some time in the past.
Credits: ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/J. Fritz, U. Gent | | | | |
| | | | | This image of the Andromeda Galaxy was taken by XMM-Newton during Christmas 2010. It shows hundreds of X-ray sources within Andromeda, many of them clustered around the centre, where the stars are densest. Each one is a dying star system. The sources can be shockwaves and debris rolling through space from exploded stars or pairs of stars locked in a gravitational fight to the death, in which one strips the other of precious gas.
Credits: ESA/XMM-Newton/EPIC/W. Pietsch, MPE | | | | |
| | | | | Herschel’s infrared image of the Andromeda Galaxy shows rings of dust that trace gaseous reservoirs where new stars are forming and XMM-Newton’s X-ray image shows stars approaching the ends of their lives. Both infrared and X-ray images convey information impossible to collect from the ground because these wavelengths are absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere.
Credits: ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/J.Fritz, U.Gent/XMM-Newton/EPIC/W. Pietsch, MPE | | | | |
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| | More information Herschel overviewXMM-Newton overviewOnline Showcase of Herschel Images OSHIHerschel on YouTube  Inside Herschel Herschel mission objectivesRelated articles Recipe for water: just add starlightHerschel and Planck win the French Grand PrixHerschel finds a hole in spaceXMM-Newton uncovers a celestial Rosetta stoneXMM-Newton discovers a new class of black holesGiant eruption reveals 'dead' starXMM-Newton exclusive photo: Messier 82Read more Observations: Seeing in infrared wavelengthsWhy infrared astronomy is a hot topicL2, the second Lagrangian PointHerschel first science results in depthHerschel in depthHerschel Science CentreXMM-Newton in-depth
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