Astronomers using robotic telescopes at ESO’s newest planet-hunting SPECULOOS (Search for habitable Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars) Observatory in Chile have captured an absolutely beautiful photo of the Centaurus A galaxy.
This image from ESO’s SPECULOOS Observatory shows the massive galaxy Centaurus A. Image credit: ESO / SPECULOOS Team / E. Jehin.
Centaurus A is a giant galaxy located in the constellation of Centaurus.
Also known as NGC 5128, LEDA 46957 and ESO 270-9, it is one of the brightest objects in the southern hemisphere night sky.
Centaurus A was discovered in 1826 by the Scottish astronomer James Dunlop at the Parramata Observatory.
At a distance of 13 million light-years, the galaxy is the closest active galactic nucleus (AGN) to us.
Astronomers theorize that what was originally an elliptical galaxy collided with a relatively smaller spiral shaped galaxy, giving it the peculiar shape we see now.
Centaurus A is suspected to harbor as many as 2,000 globular star clusters.
Many of these objects are brighter and more massive than the 150 or so orbiting the Milky Way.
“From this image, you can observe red/pink star-forming regions on the bottom left of the image and young blue star clusters on the top right of the image; with dust lanes captured in stunning detail,” ESO astronomers said.
“Towards the center of the galaxy, leftover cosmic dust is slowly being eaten by the supermassive black hole, which has a mass of roughly 100 million solar masses.”
“This accretion of matter results in powerful radio waves being emitted from the AGN.”
