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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. Spitzer's ability to see dust and also see through it allowed the telescope to peer into the center of Centaurus A and capture this galactic remnant as never before.
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.
A high-speed jet of gas can be seen shooting above the plane of the galaxy (the faint, fuzzy feature pointing from the center toward the upper left). Jets are a common feature of galaxies, and this one is probably receiving an extra boost from the galactic remnant.
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. Spitzer's ability to see dust and also see through it allowed the telescope to peer into the center of Centaurus A and capture this galactic remnant as never before.
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.
A high-speed jet of gas can be seen shooting above the plane of the galaxy (the faint, fuzzy feature pointing from the center toward the upper left). Jets are a common feature of galaxies, and this one is probably receiving an extra boost from the galactic remnant.
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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3.6 to 8 microns
Wavelength
3.6 to 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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ssc2004-09a
Image_#
ssc2004-09a
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 a
UID
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-09 a
UID
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