| Object Data |
| Description |
Centaurus A is a giant elliptical galaxy with the
dusty remnant of a spiral surrounding it. It is one of the most luminous
galaxies known, and it is believed to harbor an actively accreting black
hole at its center. In the radio spectrum, it radiates 50,000,000 times
more strongly than our own Milky Way galaxy.
|
| Constellation |
Centaurus the Centaur |
| Right Ascension |
13h 25m 41s |
| Declination |
-43° 2' 4" |
| Magnitude |
7.6 |
| Angular size |
27 arcminutes |
| Distance |
4.9 megaparsecs (16 million light years) |
| Radial Velocity |
562 kilometers per second |
| Image Data |
| Photographer |
Fred Lehman |
| Main Scope |
Meade 12" LX200 @ f/3.3 (1015mm) |
| Guide Scope |
Orion 120mm refractor @ f/3.75 |
| Guide Camera |
SBIG STV |
| Imaging Camera |
Starlight Xpress MX7C |
| Resolution |
752 x 580 @ 1.8 arcseconds per pixel |
| Exposure |
Three exposures of two minutes each. Aligned, stacked,
and processed with AstroArt. |
| Date |
March 7, 2003 |
| Location |
Area 51 in Big Cypress National Preserve in central
South Florida. |
