What A Blizzard and A Galaxy Cluster Have In Common

February 8, 2013

With the northeastern portion of the US bracing for a blizzard today, we will be hearing a lot about what causes these major storms. In a nutshell, blizzards occur when a warm front collides with a cold front, creating an area of low pressure where winds spiral toward the center.

Image Credit: www.noaa.gov

But did you know that there are pressure fronts in space as well? For example, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory discovered what astronomers dubbed a "cold front" in a galaxy cluster known as Abell 2142. While this didn't cause a cosmic blizzard, it has created a rather spectacular object for astronomers to study.

Image Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO

Can you think of pressure fronts in other settings and on different scales? If so, let us know.

-Megan Watzke, Chandra/HTE