Active galaxy types, illustration. Active galaxies are those with an active galactic nucleus (AGN), driven by a central supermassive black hole. AGNs
Active galaxy types, illustration. Active galaxies are those with an active galactic nucleus (AGN), driven by a central supermassive black hole. AGNs emit a range of non-stellar radiation, including radio, microwave, infrared, optical, ultra-violet, X-ray and gamma ray radiation. The features commonly seen in an AGN are the opaque torus, an accretion disc around the central supermassive black hole, and relativistic jets (blue), which are beams of ionised matter accelerated close to the speed of light. These beams are seen head-on at upper left, and edge-on at lower right, with intermediate alignments at upper right and lower left. The two galaxies at left have a 'brilliant' star-like core, while the two galaxies at right have a relatively dimmer 'bright' star-like core. Types of AGNs include radio-quiet and radio-loud, low-ionization nuclear emission-line regions (LINERs), Seyfert galaxies, quasars and blazars.
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Photo credit: © TIM BROWN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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