Light from Cygnus A
From NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day
Celebrating astronomy in
this International
Year of Light, the detailed image reveals spectacular active galaxy Cygnus A in light across
the electromagnetic spectrum.
Incorporating X-ray data
( blue)
from the orbiting Chandra Observatory, Cygnus A is seen
to be a prodigious source of high energy x-rays. But it is actually
more famous at
the low energy end of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
One of the brightest
celestial sources visible to radio telescopes, at 600 million light-years
distant Cygnus A is
the closest powerful radio galaxy.
Radio emission ( red)
extends to either side along the same axis for nearly 300,000 light-years
powered by jets of relativistic particles emanating from the galaxy's central
supermassive black hole.
Hot spots likely mark
the ends of the jets impacting surrounding cool, dense material.
Confined to yellow hues,
optical wavelength data of the galaxy from Hubble and the surrounding field in
the Digital Sky Survey complete a remarkable multi-wavelength view.
