Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Plasma Jets from Radio Galaxy Hercules A

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 5, 2012 is “Plasma Jets from Radio Galaxy Hercules A,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: NASA , ESA , S. Baum & C. O’Dea ( RIT ), R. Perley and W. Cotton ( NRAO / AUI / NSF ), and the Hubble Heritage Team ( STScI / AURA ). The original explanation runs about 193 words.

Plasma Jets from Radio Galaxy Hercules A
Credit: Image Credit: NASA , ESA , S. Baum & C. O’Dea ( RIT ), R. Perley and W. Cotton ( NRAO / AUI / NSF ), and the Hubble Heritage Team ( STScI / AURA ) Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Why does this galaxy emit such spectacular jets? No one is sure, but it is likely related to an active supermassive black hole at its center.”

— APOD editors, December 5, 2012

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
December 5, 2012
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: NASA , ESA , S. Baum & C. O’Dea ( RIT ), R. Perley and W. Cotton ( NRAO / AUI / NSF ), and the Hubble Heritage Team ( STScI / AURA )
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 193 words

All of December 2012 → · 2012 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

The Milky WayGalaxiesBlack holes

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: December 5 in other years

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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.