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Credit & Copyright: M. J. Hardcastle
(Univ. Bristol),
et al.
X-ray; Chandra Observatory, NASA / Radio; NRAO, VLA
Explanation:
The center of well-studied active galaxy
Centaurus A
is hidden from the view of optical
telescopes by a cosmic jumble of stars, gas, and dust.
But both radio and
x-ray
telescopes can trace the
remarkable jet
of high-energy particles streaming from the galaxy's core.
With Cen A's central region at the lower right,
this composite false-color image shows the
radio emission in red and x-rays in blue over
the inner 4,000 light-years of the jet.
One of the most detailed images of its kind,
the
picture shows how the x-ray
and radio emitting sites are related along the
jet, providing
a road map to understanding the energetic stream.
Extracting
its energy from a supermassive black hole at the
galaxy's center, the jet is confined to a relatively narrow angle
and seems to produce most of its x-rays (bluer colors) at the upper left,
farther from the core, where the jet begins to collide with
Centaurus A's
denser gas.
X-ray; Chandra Observatory, NASA / Radio; NRAO, VLA
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Centaurus A - active galaxy - radio jets - jet
Publications with words: Centaurus A - active galaxy - radio jets - jet
See also:
- APOD: 2024 December 11 Á The Shells and Jets of Galaxy Centaurus A
- APOD: 2024 October 1 Á Porphyrion: The Longest Known Black Hole Jets
- The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole
- APOD: 2024 May 7 Á Black Hole Accreting with Jet
- APOD: 2023 September 19 Á HH 211: Jets from a Forming Star
- APOD: 2023 May 3 Á Centaurus A: A Peculiar Island of Stars
- Active Galaxy NGC 1275