SIMBAD references

A mosaic of five ROSAT PSPC-pointed observations in the Galactic plane (l ∼ 25°) reveals X-ray shadows in the 0.5-2.0 keV band cast by distant molecular clouds. The observed on-cloud and off-cloud X-ray fluxes indicate that ∼15% and ∼37% of the diffuse X-ray background in this direction in the 3/4 and 1.5 keV bands, respectively, originates behind the molecular gas that is located at ∼3 kpc from the Sun. The implication of the derived background X-ray flux beyond the absorbing molecular cloud is consistent with, and lends further support to, recent observations of a Galactic X-ray bulge.