ZOOM IT NOW:
https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1951a/zoomable/
About the Object
Name: ESO 021-G004
Type: Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral
Distance: 130 million light years
Constellation: Chamaeleon
Category: Galaxies
This swirling mass of celestial gas, dust, and stars is a moderately luminous spiral galaxy named ESO 021-G004, located just under 130 million light-years away.
This galaxy has something known as an active galactic nucleus. While this phrase sounds complex, this simply means that astronomers measure a lot of radiation at all wavelengths coming from the centre of the galaxy. This radiation is generated by material falling inwards into the very central region of ESO 021-G004, and meeting the behemoth lurking there — a supermassive black hole. As material falls towards this black hole it is dragged into orbit as part of an accretion disc; it becomes superheated as it swirls around and around, emitting characteristic high-energy radiation until it is eventually devoured.
The data comprising this image were gathered by the Wide Field Camera 3 aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
Credit:
ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Rosario et al.
URL:
https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1951a/
