NGC 6814: Grand Design Spiral Galaxy from Hubble
Explanation:
In the center of this serene stellar swirl is likely a harrowing black-hole beast.
The surrounding swirl sweeps around billions of stars which are highlighted by the
brightest and bluest.
The breadth and beauty of the display give the swirl the designation of a
grand design spiral galaxy.
The central beast shows evidence that it is a supermassive
black
hole about 10 million times the mass of
our Sun.
This ferocious creature
devours stars and gas
and is surrounded by a spinning moat of hot plasma that
emits blasts of
X-rays.
The central violent activity gives it the designation of a
Seyfert galaxy.
Together,
this beauty and beast
are cataloged as NGC 6814 and have been
appearing together toward the constellation of the Eagle
(Aquila)
for roughly the past billion years.
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.
