Light from Cygnus A
Explanation:
Celebrating astronomy in this
International
Year of Light,
the detailed image reveals spectacular active galaxy
Cygnus A
in light across the electromagnetic spectrum.
Incorporating X-ray data
(
blue) from the orbiting Chandra Observatory,
Cygnus A is
seen to be a prodigious source of
high energy x-rays.
But it is actually more
famous
at the low energy end of
the electromagnetic
spectrum.
One of the brightest celestial sources visible to radio telescopes,
at 600 million light-years distant
Cygnus A is the closest powerful radio galaxy.
Radio emission
(
red) extends to either side along the same axis for
nearly 300,000 light-years powered by jets of relativistic particles
emanating from the galaxy's central supermassive black hole.
Hot spots likely mark the ends of the jets impacting surrounding cool,
dense material.
Confined to
yellow hues, optical wavelength data
of the galaxy from Hubble and the surrounding field
in the Digital Sky Survey complete a
remarkable multiwavelength view.
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.
