Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Centaurus A: X-Rays from an Active Galaxy

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for August 16, 2001 is “Centaurus A: X-Rays from an Active Galaxy,” an image. It is credited to Credit: R.Kraft ( SAO ) et al., CXO , NASA. The original explanation runs about 189 words.

Centaurus A: X-Rays from an Active Galaxy
Credit: R.Kraft ( SAO ) et al., CXO , NASA Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Its core hidden from optical view by a thick lane of dust, the giant elliptical galaxy Centaurus A was among the first objects observed by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory . Astronomers were not disappointed, as Centaurus A’s appearance in x-rays makes its classification as an active galaxy easy to appreciate.”

— APOD editors, August 16, 2001

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
August 16, 2001
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: R.Kraft ( SAO ) et al., CXO , NASA
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 189 words

All of August 2001 → · 2001 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

GalaxiesBlack holes

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: August 16 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.