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Chandra X-ray Image of Centaurus A
(NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al.)
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Centaurus A:
Black Hole Outflows From Centaurus A

Centaurus A
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al.; Submillimeter: MPIfR/ESO/APEX/A.Weiss et al.; Optical: ESO/WFI

This image of Centaurus A shows a spectacular new view of a supermassive black hole's power. Jets and lobes powered by the central black hole in this nearby galaxy are shown by submillimeter data (colored orange) from the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope in Chile and X-ray data (colored blue) from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Visible light data from the Wide Field Imager on the Max-Planck/ESO 2.2 m telescope, also located in Chile, shows the dust lane in the galaxy and background stars. The X-ray jet in the upper left extends for about 13,000 light years away from the black hole. The APEX data shows that material in the jet is travelling at about half the speed of light.


Fast Facts for Centaurus A:
Credit  X-ray: NASA/CXC/CfA/R.Kraft et al.; Submillimeter: MPIfR/ESO/APEX/A.Weiss et al.; Optical: ESO/WFI
Scale  Image is 24.3 arcmin across.
Category  Quasars & Active Galaxies
Coordinates (J2000)  RA 13h 25m 27.62s | Dec -43° 01' 08.80"
Constellation  Centaurus
Observation Date  6 pointings between 03/22/2007 - 05/30/2007
Observation Time  199 hours
Obs. ID  7797, 7798, 7799, 7800, 8489, 8490
Color Code  X-ray (blue), Submillimeter (orange); Optical (white, brown)
Instrument  ACIS
Also Known As Cen A, NGC 5128
Distance Estimate  About 11 million light years
Release Date  January 30, 2009