Messier 106. Composite image of the Messier 106 (M106) galaxy, which lies million light years from Earth. This galaxy is typical of grand spiral

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Messier 106. Composite image of the Messier 106 (M106) galaxy, which lies million light years from Earth. This galaxy is typical of grand spiral galaxies, with dark dust lanes, youthful star clusters and star forming regions in trace spiral arms that converge on a bright nucleus (centre). But this image highlights two anomalous arms in radio (purple) and X-ray (blue) data that seem to arise in the central region and are evidence of energetic jets of material blasting into the galaxy's disk. The jets are likely powered by matter falling into a massive central black hole. Image composed of data obtained by Hubble Space Telescope and information obtained by amateur astronomers.

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Size: 5315px × 4151px
Photo credit: © DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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