A giant galaxy

Centaurus A is our nearest giant galaxy, at a distance of about 13 million light-years in the southern constellation of Centaurus, and as such, it is one of the most extensively studied objects in the southern sky. It is an elliptical galaxy, currently merging with a companion spiral galaxy, resulting in areas of intense star formation and making it one of the most spectacular objects in the sky. Centaurus A hosts a very active and highly luminous central region, caused by the presence of a supermassive black hole with a mass of about 100 million solar masses (see eso0109), and is the source of strong radio and X-ray emission. Thick dust layers almost completely obscure the galaxy's centre. This image is based on data acquired with the 1.5-metre Danish telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile, through three filters (B, V, R).

Credit:

ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/R. Gendler, J.-E. Ovaldsen & S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard) (ESO)

About the Image

Id:cena
Type:Observation
Release date:3 December 2009, 23:20
Size:1460 x 1130 px

About the Object

Name:Centaurus A, NGC 5128
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy
Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Elliptical
Distance:13 million light years
Constellation:Centaurus
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
492.2 KB
Screensize JPEG
181.1 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
237.9 KB
1280x1024
406.4 KB
1600x1200
585.6 KB
1920x1200
684.3 KB
2048x1536
883.8 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):13 25 27.70
Position (Dec):-43° 1' 9.55"
Field of view:9.62 x 7.45 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 44.8° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
B
433 nmDanish 1.54-metre telescope
DFOSC
Optical
V
544 nmDanish 1.54-metre telescope
DFOSC
Optical
R
648 nmDanish 1.54-metre telescope
DFOSC