Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Light from Cygnus A

NASA ^ | January 24, 2015 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: 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 multiwavelength view.

[SunkenCiv]

[X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI; Radio: NSF/NRAO/AUI/VLA]

[SunkenCiv]

I guess it's Rush week at APoD.

Rush - Cygnus X-1: Books I & II (Full Song - HQ)

[SunkenCiv]

2015 APoD Calendar

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[gorush]

"The biggest star, VY Canis Majoris, is 1,000,000,000 times bigger than our sun"

Also, all the planets in our system would fit between Earth and it's moon.

[left that other site]

Oooo...Good One!

[dfwgator]

I knew that one was coming.

[moose07]

Truly Beautiful, thanks SC.
More fantastic afer reading the caption.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Good one! (Thanks for posting!)

[9thLife]

ooh baby ooh baby.

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks gorush!