Centaurus A (NGC 5128)

This is a colour composite photo of the peculiar galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) , obtained with the Wide-Field Imager (WFI) camera at the ESO/MPG 2.2-m telescope on La Silla. It is based on a total of nine 3-min exposures made on March 25, 1999, through different broad-band optical filters (B(lue) - total exposure time 9 min - central wavelength 456 nm - here rendered as blue; V(isual) - 540 nm - 9 min - green; I(nfrared) - 784 nm - 9 min - red); it was prepared from files in the ESO Science Data Archive by ESO-astronomer Benoît Vandame. The elliptical shape and the central dust band, the imprint of a galaxy collision, are well visible.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0315a
Type:Observation
Release date:10 June 2003
Related releases:eso0315
Size:3612 x 3531 px

About the Object

Name:Centaurus A, NGC 5128
Type:Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole
Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Elliptical
Distance:13 million light years
Constellation:Centaurus
Category:Galaxies

Image Formats

Large JPEG
6.4 MB
Screensize JPEG
407.0 KB

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393.7 KB
1280x1024
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1600x1200
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1920x1200
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2048x1536
1.4 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):13 25 27.49
Position (Dec):-43° 1' 6.68"
Field of view:28.66 x 28.02 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° right of vertical