ALMA Discovers Unexpected Trove of Star-forming Gas in Phoenix Cluster

9 February, 2017 / Read time: 1 minute

Video explaining the complex relationship between a supermassive black hole and its host galaxy in the Phoenix Cluster, as studied with ALMA. Jets from the black hole create giant radio bubbles. Hugging these bubbles are filaments of cold, dense gas that could eventually fuel future star formation and feed the galaxy's active supermassive black hole.

Credit: Written and Narrated by Charles Blue (NRAO/AUI/NSF); Produced by Alexandra Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF); ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); Animations & Footage courtesy of Alexandra Angelich, (NRAO/AUI/NSF), NASA/GSFC/CI Lab, ESO; Science Images: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), NASA/ESA Hubble, Chandra X-Ray Observatory/NASA/MIT, M. McDonald, Bill Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF); Music: Mark Mercury