Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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.

                              2024 December 11
    [2]A galaxy is seen in the center of the image. Faint shells are seen
    around it. A red-colored jet is seen emanating from the galaxy toward
        the lower right. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                  The Shells and Jets of Galaxy Centaurus A
                         Image Credit: [3]Rolf Olsen

   Explanation: What's the closest [4]active galaxy to planet Earth? That
   would be [5]Centaurus A, cataloged as NGC 5128, which is only 12
   million [6]light-years distant. Forged in a collision of two otherwise
   normal galaxies, [7]Centaurus A shows several distinctive features
   including a [8]dark dust lane across its center, [9]outer shells of
   stars and gas, and [10]jets of particles shooting out from a
   [11]supermassive black hole at its center. The [12]featured image
   captures all of these in a [13]composite series of [14]visible light
   images totaling over 310 hours captured over the past 10 years with a
   homebuilt telescope operating in [15]Auckland, [16]New Zealand. The
   brightness of Cen A's center from low-energy [17]radio waves to
   high-energy [18]gamma rays [19]underlies its designation as an
   [20]active galaxy.

     Astrophysicists: [21]Browse 3,500+ codes in the Astrophysics Source
                                Code Library
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2412/CenAShellsJets_Olsen_6150.jpg
   3. https://www.rolfolsenastrophotography.com/About-me
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080110.html
   5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230503.html
   6. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/en/
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220317.html
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120701.html
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210804.html
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermassive_black_hole
  12. https://www.astrobin.com/full/ssfh13/0/
  13. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1040566871414338
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight/
  15. https://youtu.be/Jbdf-Nm3F9I
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand
  17. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/05_radiowaves/
  18. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/12_gammarays/
  19. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://preview.redd.it/t3tivrhnqsv61.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=e142e081803e2344e4ded9030fcc4eab90d25aad
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_galactic_nucleus
  21. http://ascl.net/
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241210.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241211
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241212.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/