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Credit & Copyright: Image Data -
Hubble Legacy Archive,
Robert Gendler, Jay GaBany,
Processing -
Robert Gendler
Explanation:
The spiral arms of bright galaxy M106 sprawl through this
remarkable
multiframe portrait,
composed of data from
ground- and
space-based telescopes.
Also known as NGC 4258,
M106 can be found
toward the northern constellation
Canes
Venatici.
The well-measured
distance to M106 is
23.5 million light-years, making this cosmic scene
about 80,000 light-years across.
Typical in grand spiral galaxies, dark dust lanes,
youthful blue star clusters, and pinkish star forming
regions trace spiral arms
that converge on the bright nucleus of older
yellowish stars.
But this detailed composite reveals hints of
two anomalous arms
that don't align with the more familiar tracers.
Seen here in red hues, sweeping filaments of
glowing hydrogen gas seem to rise from the central region
of M106, evidence
of energetic jets of material blasting into the galaxy's disk.
The jets are likely powered by matter falling into a
massive
central black hole.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: spiral galaxy - active galaxy
Publications with words: spiral galaxy - active galaxy
See also: