Centaurus A – Field 1 (shell)

Colour composite of "Field 1" (around the jet) in the peculiar galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128), based on exposures through three near-infrared filters (the J-, H- and K-bands at wavelengths 1.2, 1.6 and 2.2 µm, respectively) with the ISAAC multi-mode instrument at the 8.2-m VLT ANTU telescope at the ESO Paranal observatory. This ISAAC image is one of the two deepest near-infrared images ever obtained in this galaxy and show thousands of its stars of different colours. In the present colour-coding, the redder an image, the cooler is the star. The original pixel size is 0.15 arcsec and both fields measure 2.5 x 2.5 arcmin 2. North is up and East is left.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0315e
Type:Observation
Release date:10 June 2003
Related releases:eso0315
Size:1541 x 1479 px

About the Object

Name:Centaurus A
Type:Early Universe : Galaxy
Distance:13 million light years
Constellation:Centaurus
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
778.2 KB
Screensize JPEG
827.8 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
831.8 KB
1280x1024
1.1 MB
1600x1200
1.4 MB
1920x1200
1.4 MB
2048x1536
1.9 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):13 26 23.20
Position (Dec):-42° 52' 2.85"
Field of view:2.16 x 2.07 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.1° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
J
1.2 μmVery Large Telescope
ISAAC
Infrared
H
1.6 μmVery Large Telescope
ISAAC
Infrared
K
2.2 μmVery Large Telescope
ISAAC