Big Bada Bum In Centaurus A

Centaurus A (aso known as NGC 5128) is a lenticular galaxy about 14 million light-years
away in the constellation Centaurus. It is one of the closest radio galaxies to Earth, so its
active galactic nucleus has benn extensively studied by professional astronomers.

A realativistic jet which extracts energy from the cincinity of what is believed to be a supermassive
black hole at the center of the galaxy is responsible for emissions in the X-ray and radio wavelenghts.
By taking radio ovservations of the jet separated by a decade, astronomers have determined that the
inner parts of the jet are moving at about one half of the speed of light. X-rays are produced farther out
as the jet collides with surrounding gases resulting in the creation of highly energetic particles.

As observed in other starburst galaxies, a collision is resonsible for the intense burst of star formation. Using the Spitzer space Telescope scientists confirm that Centaurus A is going through a galaxy collisoin by devouring a spiral galaxy.