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Credit & Copyright: X-ray -
NASA / CXC / Caltech /
P.Ogle et al.,
Optical - NASA/STScI, IR - NASA/JPL-Caltech, Radio - NSF/NRAO/VLA
Explanation:
The spiral arms of bright, active galaxy M106 sprawl through this
remarkable
multiwavelength portrait, composed of image data
from radio to X-rays,
across
the electromagnetic spectrum.
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 60,000 light-years across.
Typical in grand spiral galaxies, dark dust lanes,
youthful star clusters, and star forming
regions trace spiral arms
that converge on a bright nucleus.
But this composite highlights
two anomalous arms in radio (purple)
and X-ray (blue) that seem to arise in 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.
Optical - NASA/STScI, IR - NASA/JPL-Caltech, Radio - NSF/NRAO/VLA
Watch:
Ceres and Vesta
Meet
(Webcast).
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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: M 106 - active galaxy
Publications with words: M 106 - active galaxy
See also: