X Ray Jet From Centaurus A
Explanation:
Spanning over 25,000 light-years, comparable to the distance from
the Sun to the center of our own Milky Way galaxy, a
cosmic jet seen in X-rays blasts from
the center of Centaurus A.
Only 10 million light-years away,
Centaurus A is a giant
elliptical galaxy - the closest
active galaxy to Earth.
This composite image illustrates
the jumble of gas, dust, and stars visible
in an optical picture
of Cen A superposed on
a new image recorded by the orbiting
Chandra X-ray Observatory.
The X-ray data is shown in red.
Present theories hold that the X-ray bright jet
is caused by electrons driven to extremely high energies
over enormous distances.
The jet's
power source is likely to be a black hole with about 10 million
times the mass of the Sun
coincident with the X-ray bright spot at the galaxy's center.
Amazingly, while
some material in the vicinity of the black hole
falls in, some material is blasted outward in energetic jets.
Details of this
cosmic power
generator can be explored with the
Chandra X-ray data.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
