Radiogalaksen Centaurus A
Dette nye FORS2 billede af Centaurus A, også kendt som NGC 5128, er et eksempel på, hvordan frontlinjevidenskab kan kombineres med æstetiske aspekter.
Denne galakse er et meget interessant objekt for de nuværende forsøg på at forstå aktive galakser.
Den undersøges ved hjælp af observationer i alle spektralområder, fra radio via infrarøde og optiske bølgelængder over Røntgen- til gammastråler.
Det er et af de bedst undersøgte objekter på den sydlige himmel.
FORS2, med sit store felt og fremragende opløsning, gør det muligt at studere de globale omgivelser i den aktive region i Centaurus A i stor detalje.
Bemærk for eksempel opløsningen af det store antal massive og lysende blå stjerner i øverste højre og nederste venstre af billedet.
Centaurus A er et af de bedst kendte eksempler på en galakse med aktiv kerne (Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) ).
På billeder taget ved optiske bølgelængder, skjuler tykke støvlag næsten helt galaksens centrum.
Denne struktur blev først rapporteret af Sir John Herschel i 1847.
Indtil 1949 mente man at NGC 5128 var et mærkeligt objekt i Mælkevejen, men det blev så identificeret som en kraftig radiogalakse og betegnet Centaurus A.
Afstanden er omkring 10-13 millioner lysår (3-4 Mpc) og den tilsyneladende visuelle størrelsesklasse er omkring 8, eller 5 gange for svag til at man kan se den med det blotte øje. Der er stærke beviser for, at Centaurus A er en fusion af en elliptisk- og en spiralgalakse, da elliptiske galakser ikke ville have haft nok støv og gas til dannelse af de unge, blå stjerner set langs kanterne af støvbåndet.
Kernen i Centaurus A er den mindste kendte ekstragalaktisk radiokilde, kun 10 lysdage på tværs.
En stråle af højenergi-partikler fra dette center er observeret i radio- og røntgenområdet.
Kernen indeholder sandsynligvis et supertungt sort hul med en masse på omkring 100 millioner solmasser.
Billedet er sammensat af tre eksponeringer i B (300 sekunders eksponering, billedkvalitet 0,60 buesekunder, her gengivet i blå farve), V (240 sekunder, 0.60 buesekunder, grønne) og R (240 sekunder, 0,55 buesekunder, rød).
Den version af billedet der er i fuld opløsning, bevarer de oprindelige pixels.
ESO
Om billedet
| Id: | eso0005b |
| Sprog: | da |
| Type: | Observation |
| Udgivelsesdato: | 8. februar 2000 |
| Relaterede pressemeddelelser: | eso0005 |
| Størrelse: | 4961 x 4957 px |
Om objektet
| Navn: | Cen A, Centaurus A, NGC 5128 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Galaxy Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole |
| Afstand: | 13 million lysår |
| Constellation: | Centaurus |
Billedformater
Baggrundsbilleder
Koordinater
| Position (RA): | 13 25 27.70 |
| Position (Dec): | -43° 1' 9.55" |
| Field of view: | 6.86 x 6.86 arcminutes |
| Orientering: | Nord er 0.1° droite fra lodret |
Farver & filtre
| Bånd | Teleskop |
|---|---|
| Optisk B | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |
| Optisk V | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |
| Optisk R | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |
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