Example of a jellyfish galaxy

Observations of “Jellyfish galaxies” with ESO’s Very Large Telescope have revealed a previously unknown way to fuel supermassive black holes. It seems the mechanism that produces the tentacles of gas and newborn stars that give these galaxies their nickname also makes it possible for the gas to reach the central regions of the galaxies, feeding the black hole that lurks in each of them and causing it to shine brilliantly.

This picture of one of the galaxies, nicknamed JO204, from the MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, shows clearly how material is streaming out of the galaxy in long tendrils to the lower-left. Red shows the glow from ionised hydrogen gas and the whiter regions are where most of the stars in the galaxy are located. Some more distant galaxies are also visible.

Credit:

ESO/GASP collaboration

Over de afbeelding

Id:eso1725a
Type:Observatie
Publicatiedatum:16 augustus 2017 19:00
Gerelateerde berichten:eso1725
Gerelateerde mededelingen:ann19024
Grootte:662 x 642 px

Over het object

Naam:JO204
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy
Constellation:Sextans
Categorie:Galaxies

Image Formats

Grote JPEG
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Coordinates

Position (RA):10 13 47.24
Position (Dec):0° 54' 45.68"
Field of view:1.09 x 1.06 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 90.4° left of vertical

Kleuren & filters

BandGolflengteTelescoop
Optisch
OIII
500 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Optisch
Continuum
634 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE
Optisch
H-alpha
656 nmVery Large Telescope
MUSE