A Jet from Galaxy M87
Explanation:
What's causing a huge jet to emanate from the center of galaxy
M87?
Although the
unusual jet was first noticed early in the
twentieth century,
the exact cause is still debated.
The
above recently released picture taken by the
Hubble Space Telescope
shows clear details, however.
The most
popular hypothesis holds that the
jet is created
by energetic gas swirling around a massive
black hole at the galaxy's center.
The result is a 5000
light-year long blowtorch where
electrons are ejected outward at near light-speed,
emitting eerily blue light during a magnetic spiral.
M87 is a giant
elliptical galaxy
residing only 50 million light-years away in the
Virgo Cluster of Galaxies.
The faint dots of light surrounding
M87's center are large ancient
globular clusters of stars.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
