Centaurus A, NGC 5128, Composite
Just weeks after NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory began operations in 1999, the telescope pointed at Centaurus A (Cen A, for short). This galaxy, at a distance of about 12 million light years from Earth, contains a gargantuan jet blasting away from a central supermassive black hole. New processing techniques are providing astronomers with a new look at this old galactic friend. The data are combined from observations equivalent to over nine and a half days worth of observing time taken between 1999 and 2012. In these images, the lowest-energy X-rays Chandra detects are in red, while the medium-energy X-rays are green, and the highest-energy ones are blue. Archived data also allow for ongoing scientific studies, including new results on the black holes and neutron stars in Centaurus A. Release date February 6, 2014.
Size: 3600px × 3600px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -ray, 2014, 21st, 5128, astronomical, astronomy, black, body, celestial, centaurus, century, chandra, composite, cxc, deep, detection, elliptical, emission, event, formation, galaxy, general, giant, heavenly, hole, horizon, image, jet, lenticular, ngc, object, observation, observatory, point, relativity, return, science, sky, space, supermassive, void
