The hidden engine of NGC 4945

Portrayed in this image is the spiral galaxy NGC 4945, a close neighbour of the Milky Way. Belonging to the Centaurus A group of galaxies, it is located at a distance of almost 13 million light-years. Showing a remarkable resemblance to our own galaxy, NGC 4945 also hides a supermassive black hole behind the thick, ring-shaped structure of dust visible in the picture. But, unlike the black hole at the centre of our Milky Way, the million-solar-mass black hole inside NGC 4945 is an Active Galactic Nucleus that is frantically consuming any surrounding matter, and so releasing tremendous amounts of energy.

This image combines observations performed through three different filters (B, V, R) with the 1.5-metre Danish telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory in Chile.

Crediti:

ESO/IDA/Danish 1.5 m/R. Gendler and C. Thöne

Riguardo l'immagine

Identificazione:potw1007a
Tipo:Osservazione
Data di rilascio:Lunedì 15 Febbraio 2010 11:21
Grandezza:2970 x 1800 px

Riguardo all'oggetto

Nome:NGC 4945
Tipo:Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole
Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Distanza:13 Milione Anni luce
Constellation:Centaurus
Categoria:Galaxies

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Coordinate

Position (RA):13 5 24.66
Position (Dec):-49° 28' 0.35"
Field of view:19.54 x 11.84 arcminutes
Orientazione:Il Nord è a 45.0° a destra della verticale