Turbulent Cauldron of Starbirth in Nearby Active Galaxy
The picture is a mosaic of two Hubble Space Telescope images taken with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2, on Aug. 1, 1997 and Jan. 10, 1998. The approximately natural colour is assembled from images taken in blue, green and red light. Details as small as seven light-years across can be resolved. The blue colour is due to the light from extremely hot, newborn stars. The reddish-yellow colour is due in part to hot gas, in part to older stars in the elliptical galaxy and in part to scattering of blue light by dust -- the same effect that produces brilliant orange sunsets on Earth.
Credit:
About the Image
NASA press release
NASA caption
NASA caption
| Id: | opo9814c |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 14 May 1998, 06:00 |
| Size: | 2277 x 1902 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Centaurus A, NGC 5128 |
| Type: | • Local Universe : Galaxy • Local Universe : Galaxy : Component : Central Black Hole |
| Distance: | 11 million light years |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
| Optical B |
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
| Optical V |
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
| Optical R |
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 |
