Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2026 February 5
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                       NGC 1275 in the Perseus Cluster
      Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Michal Wierzbinski, [5]Hellas-Sky

   Explanation: [6]Active galaxy NGC 1275 is the central, dominant member
   of the large and relatively nearby [7]Perseus Cluster of Galaxies.
   Wild-looking at visible wavelengths, the active galaxy is also a
   prodigious source of [8]x-rays and [9]radio emission. NGC 1275 accretes
   matter as entire galaxies fall into it, ultimately feeding a
   supermassive black hole at the galaxy's core. Narrowband image data
   used in this sharp telescopic image highlights the resulting
   [10]galactic debris and [11]filaments of glowing gas, some up to 20,000
   light-years long. [12]The filaments persist in NGC 1275, even though
   the turmoil of galactic collisions should destroy them. What keeps the
   filaments together? [13]Observations indicate that the structures,
   pushed out from the galaxy's center by the black hole's activity, are
   held together by magnetic fields. Also known as [14]Perseus A, NGC 1275
   itself spans over 100,000 light years and lies about 230 million light
   years away.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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    Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & [28]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([29]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [30]Specific rights apply.
            [31]NASA Web Privacy, [32]Accessibility, [33]Notices;
                A service of: [34]ASD at [35]NASA / [36]GSFC,
                         [37]NASA Science Activation
                           & [38]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/ngc-1275-perseus-cluster.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://app.astrobin.com/u/xultaeculcis
   5. https://hellas-sky.com/
   6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_galactic_nucleus
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090508.html
   8. https://chandra.harvard.edu/xray_astro/history.html
   9. https://public.nrao.edu/radio-astronomy/the-science-of-radio-astronomy/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030505.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050725.html
  12. https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2008/news-2008-28.html
  13. http://arxiv.org/abs/0808.2712
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_(constellation)
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260204.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  24. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260205
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260206.html
  26. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  29. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  34. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  37. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  38. http://www.mtu.edu/