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Collection:
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NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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A Parallelogram-Shaped Meal
Title
A Parallelogram-Shaped Meal
Title
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Description:
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This image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows in unprecedented detail the galaxy Centaurus A's last big meal: a spiral galaxy seemingly twisted into a parallelogram-shaped structure of dust. An elliptical galaxy located 10 million light-years from Earth, Centaurus A is one of the brightest sources of radio waves in the sky. These radio waves indicate the presence of a supermassive black hole, which may be "feeding" off the leftover galactic meal.
This spectacular image combines 5.8 micron and 8.0 micron data obtained by an infrared array camera aboard Spitzer. These wavelengths emphasize the emission from dust rather than the light produced by stars in the galaxy. The resulting image shows with greater clarity the strange parallelogram-shaped feature embedded near the center of the galaxy.
Scientists have created a model that explains how such a strangely geometric structure could arise. In this model, a spiral galaxy falls into an elliptical galaxy, becoming warped and twisted in the process. The folds in the warped disc create the parallelogram-shaped illusion.
Description
This image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows in unprecedented detail the galaxy Centaurus A's last big meal: a spiral galaxy seemingly twisted into a parallelogram-shaped structure of dust. An elliptical galaxy located 10 million light-years from Earth, Centaurus A is one of the brightest sources of radio waves in the sky. These radio waves indicate the presence of a supermassive black hole, which may be "feeding" off the leftover galactic meal.
This spectacular image combines 5.8 micron and 8.0 micron data obtained by an infrared array camera aboard Spitzer. These wavelengths emphasize the emission from dust rather than the light produced by stars in the galaxy. The resulting image shows with greater clarity the strange parallelogram-shaped feature embedded near the center of the galaxy.
Scientists have created a model that explains how such a strangely geometric structure could arise. In this model, a spiral galaxy falls into an elliptical galaxy, becoming warped and twisted in the process. The folds in the warped disc create the parallelogram-shaped illusion.
Description
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Release Date:
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2004/06/01
Release_Date
2004/06/01
Release Date
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Press Release:
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Press_Release
Press Release
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Keene (SSC/Caltech)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Keene (SSC/Caltech)
Release Credit
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Keene (SSC/Caltech)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Keene (SSC/Caltech)
Image Credit
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Object name:
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Centaurus A
Object_name
Centaurus A
Object name
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Object name:
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NGC 5128
Object_name
NGC 5128
Object name
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Object type:
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Elliptical Galaxy
Object_type
Elliptical Galaxy
Object type
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Position (J2000):
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*RA: *13h25m42.09s *Dec: *-42d53m59.50s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *13h25m42.09s *Dec: *-42d53m59.50s
Position (J2000)
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Distance:
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3.4 Mpc or 11,000,000 light-years
Distance
3.4 Mpc or 11,000,000 light-years
Distance
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Constellation:
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Centaurus
Constellation
Centaurus
Constellation
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Wavelength:
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5.8 and 8 microns
Wavelength
5.8 and 8 microns
Wavelength
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Image scale:
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27.1 x 17.7 arcmin
Image_scale
27.1 x 17.7 arcmin
Image scale
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Observers:
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Jocelyn Keene, Principal Investigator (JPL & SSC)
Peter Eisenhardt (JPL)
Varoujan Gorjian (JPL)
Charles Lawrence (JPL)
Alice Quillen (University of Rochester)
Karl Stapelfeldt (JPL)
Daniel Stern (JPL)
Michael Werner (JPL)
Observers
Jocelyn Keene, Principal Investigator (JPL & SSC)
Peter Eisenhardt (JPL)
Varoujan Gorjian (JPL)
Charles Lawrence (JPL)
Alice Quillen (University of Rochester)
Karl Stapelfeldt (JPL)
Daniel Stern (JPL)
Michael Werner (JPL)
Observers
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Instrument:
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IRAC
Instrument
IRAC
Instrument
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Exposure Date:
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10 Feb 2004
Exposure_Date
10 Feb 2004
Exposure Date
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Exposure Time:
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about 60 seconds
Exposure_Time
about 60 seconds
Exposure Time
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Orientation:
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North is Up
Orientation
North is Up
Orientation
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Magnitude:
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7.0
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Earth
facet_what
Earth
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Centaurus
facet_what
Centaurus
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
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facet_when:
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10 Feb 2004
facet_when
10 Feb 2004
facet_when
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facet_when_year:
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2004
facet_when_year
2004
facet_when_year
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Image #:
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ssc2004-09b
Image_#
ssc2004-09b
Image #
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-09 b
UID
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-09 b
UID
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