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Astronomy Picture of the Day -- M106: A Spiral Galaxy with a Strange Center
NASA ^ | February 16, 2015 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 02/16/2015 1:52:06 AM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: What's happening at the center of spiral galaxy M106? A swirling disk of stars and gas, M106's appearance is dominated by blue spiral arms and red dust lanes near the nucleus, as shown in the featured image. The core of M106 glows brightly in radio waves and X-rays where twin jets have been found running the length of the galaxy. An unusual central glow makes M106 one of the closest examples of the Seyfert class of galaxies, where vast amounts of glowing gas are thought to be falling into a central massive black hole. M106, also designated NGC 4258, is a relatively close 23.5 million light years away, spans 60 thousand light years across, and can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation of the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici).

February 16, 2015

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; m106; ngc4258; science; seyfertgalaxy
[Credit: NASA, ESO , NAOJ, Giovanni Paglioli; Assembling and processing: R. Colombari and R. Gendler]

1 posted on 02/16/2015 1:52:06 AM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; dayglored; ...
Oooh! Ahhh!
The Big One

2 posted on 02/16/2015 1:52:30 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary men)
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To: SunkenCiv

YES!


3 posted on 02/16/2015 1:53:58 AM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: SunkenCiv
Looks like a raspberry-crème swirl center.

YUM!

4 posted on 02/16/2015 2:39:14 AM PST by uglybiker (nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-BATMAN!)
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To: uglybiker

Black holes — that’s where nougat comes from.


5 posted on 02/16/2015 3:33:20 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Awesome!


6 posted on 02/16/2015 6:16:43 AM PST by left that other site (You shall know the Truth, and The Truth Shall Set You Free.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Eh? I though Seyfert galaxies were where the central core was undergoing a chain reaction of supernovas. The first one slightly warms the surrounding stars, shortening their lives and pushing a few of them over the edge, they in turn warm their neighbors, pushing some into nova, etc.

No need to evoke a black hole as a root cause.


7 posted on 02/16/2015 6:53:59 AM PST by null and void (People who deny history are trying to recreate it.)
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To: uglybiker
https://candyprofessor.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/milky-way-bars.jpg
As opposed to ours, which is much more typical…
8 posted on 02/16/2015 9:31:36 AM PST by mikrofon (APOD Bump)
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To: null and void

You’re askin’ the wrong guy, I thought Seyferts were potato chips.


9 posted on 02/16/2015 11:47:28 AM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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