Centaurus A

NGC 5128 (also known as Centaurus A) is a lenticular galaxy located approximately 14 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation of Centaurus. It is one of the closest radio galaxies to our planet, so its active galactic nucleus has been extensively studied by professional astronomers. It is the fifth brightest galaxy in the sky.

A jet extracting energy from what is believed to be a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy is responsible for the X-ray and radio emissions. Through radio observations over a period of ten years, astronomers have determined that the inner part of the jet is moving at a speed close to half the speed of light. The X-rays are produced by distant collisions of the jet with surrounding gases, thereby generating highly energetic particles.

As observed in other starburst galaxies, a collision is responsible for the intense star formation. Centaurus A is currently undergoing a galactic collision, "devouring" another spiral galaxy.

Credits: Wikipedia