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. March 30, 1997
Explanation: One of the most unusual galaxies known, Centaurus
A, is pictured above. Cen A is marked by dramatic dust lanes
that run across the galaxy's center. These dust lanes are so
thick they almost completely obscure the galaxy's center in
visible light. Our Milky Way Galaxy contains dust, but not in
the same proportion. Cen A is also unusual compared to a normal
galaxy because it contains a higher proportion of young blue
stars, is a very strong source of radio emission, and has a
unique structure. Cen A is thought to be the result of the
collision of two normal galaxies. Authors & editors: NASA
Technical Rep.: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply. A service of:
LHEA at NASA/ GSFC &: Michigan Tech. U.