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September 30, 1995
An Energetic Radio Galaxy
HST, WFPC 2, M. Longair
The radio and optical emission seen in the above superposed images of the
radio galaxy 3C368 indicate that energetic
processes are at work. A radio
galaxy is a
that is visible to radio telescopes. A large radio
signal usually indicates very powerful phenomena. The optical light is
shown above in red and the radio emission in blue contours. Currently, one
can only guess what causes the unusual radio and optical features.
Scientists working with the
Hubble Space Telescope
that the radio emission might have resulted from jets of high-velocity
material thrown off from the centre of the galaxy, while the optical light
comes from gas and
that are remnants of a burst of star formation triggered by the radio
Tomorrow's picture: Central Galactic Star Bursts
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