Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2019 August 22

                        Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 4945
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh

   Explanation: Large spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the
   center of this cosmic galaxy portrait. In fact, it's almost the size of
   our Milky Way Galaxy. NGC 4945's own dusty disk, young blue star
   clusters, and pink star forming regions standout in the sharp, colorful
   telescopic image. About 13 million light-years distant toward the
   expansive southern constellation Centaurus, NGC 4945 is only about six
   times farther away than Andromeda, the nearest large spiral galaxy to
   the Milky Way. Though this galaxy's central region is largely hidden
   from view for optical telescopes, X-ray and infrared observations
   indicate significant high energy emission and star formation in the
   core of NGC 4945. Its obscured but active nucleus qualifies the
   gorgeous island universe as a Seyfert galaxy and home to a central
   supermassive black hole.

                   Tomorrow's picture: California dreamin'
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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