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.

                              2020 February 22

                             Central Centaurus A
      Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage (STScI/ AURA)-ESA/Hubble
                                Collaboration

   Explanation: A mere 11 million light-years away, Centaurus A is the
   closest active galaxy to planet Earth. Also known as NGC 5128, the
   peculiar elliptical galaxy is over 60,000 light-years across. A region
   spanning about 8,500 light-years, including the galaxy's center (upper
   left), is framed in this sharp Hubble Space telescope close-up.
   Centaurus A is apparently the result of a collision of two otherwise
   normal galaxies resulting in a violent jumble of star forming regions,
   massive star clusters, and imposing dark dust lanes. Near the galaxy's
   center, left over cosmic debris is steadily being consumed by a central
   black hole with a billion times the mass of the Sun. As in other active
   galaxies, that process likely generates the radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray
   energy radiated by Centaurus A.

                   Tomorrow's picture: simulated Universe
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

--- hpt/lnx 1.9.0