This beautiful galaxy portrait depicts the peculiar galaxy NGC 5128 in the constellation of Centaurus. Also called Centaurus A for being a powerful radio beacon, it has a very active galactic nucleus which host a supermassive black hole. NGC 5128 is the closest known active galaxy at 11 million light years. The rarely imaged long filamentary jet, extending from the core in the upper left of the picture, is the visible result of the nucleo activity and is created by the outflow of gas accumulated in the accretion disk surrounding the supermassive black hole.
NGC 5128's strange morphology is the result of a collision of two galaxies that created a fantastic jumble of star clusters and imposing dark dust lanes. This intergalactic encounter is also the reason for the multiple interlocked shells enveloping the galaxy and well documented in this image, evidence of the merging of galaxies similar to the ripples of water on a pond. Centaurus A central dust lane is embellished with the signatures of star formation, such as blue star clusters and red emission nebulae.
Takahashi CCA250 (250/f5) - ZWO 6200MM - Ha (675m) L (590m) R (40m) G (40m) B (40m) - AMT Observatory (
A.Lau/M.Lorenzi/T.Tse), Río Hurtado, Chile. Image processing M.Lorenzi.
Comments