Centaurus A Galaxy
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Centaurus_A_Galaxy.VLA_and_Optical.jpg
The Centaurus A Galaxy (also known as Centaurus A, Peculiar Galaxy NGC 5128, NGC 5128 or Caldwell 77) is the closest active galaxy to Earth, being a radio galaxy. A relativistic jet which extracts energy from the vicinity of what is believed to be a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy is responsible for emissions in the X-ray and radio wavelengths. By taking radio observations of the jet separated by a decade, astronomers have determined that the inner parts of the jet are moving at about one half of the speed of light. X-rays are produced farther out as the jet collides with surrounding gases resulting in the creation of highly energetic particles.
This galaxy does not fall under Hubble classification as it is both a Spiral and an Elliptical galaxy and may be the result of one or more gallactic collisions. As observed in other starburst galaxies, this collision is responsible for the intense burst of star formation.
On March 14, 1998 the Hubble telescope offered a close-up view of a turbulent firestorm of star birth along a nearly edge of the galaxy. Centaurus A is part of the M83 Group galaxy cluster.
External link
- The Centaurus A Galaxy @ SEDS NGC objects pages (http://www.seds.org/messier/xtra/ngc/n5128.html)
Related topics
References
- STScI. Hubble Provides Multiple Views of How to Feed a Black Hole (http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/archive/releases/1998/14/text/). Press release: Space Telescope Science Institute. March 14, 1998.
- Chandra X-Ray Observatory Photo Album Centaurus A Jet (http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2003/cenajet/)