#perseus a

[8infinite-space8]

NGC 1275 (Perseus A)  consists of two galaxies, a central type-cD galaxy in the Perseus Cluster, and a so-called high velocity system (HVS) which lies in front of it.

Distance: 222 million light-years.

[kvetch19]

[chibinotan]

Peculiar Galaxy in Perseus

[cosmicvastness]

Filaments of Active Galaxy NGC 1275 

What keeps these filaments attached to this galaxy? The filaments persist in NGC 1275 even though the turmoil of galactic collisions should destroy them. First, active galaxy NGC 1275 is the central, dominant member of the large and relatively nearby Perseus Cluster of Galaxies. Wild-looking at visible wavelengths, the active galaxy is also a prodigious source of x-rays and radio emission. NGC 1275 accretes matter as entire galaxies fall into it, ultimately feeding a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's core. This composite image, recreated from archival Hubble Space Telescope data, highlights the resulting galactic debris and filaments of glowing gas, some up to 20,000 light-years long. 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 Perseus A, NGC 1275 spans over 100,000 light years and lies about 230 million light years away.

Credit: Hubble Legacy Archive, ESA, NASA; Processing & Copyright: Domingo Pestana

[quiltofstars]

Perseus A (C24) in the Perseus Cluster (Abell 426) // Matthew Proulx

The brightest member of the Perseus Cluster, Perseus A (NGC 1275) is the bright elliptical galaxy with red tendrils of gas coming out of it to the right of center in this image. These wispy threads of gas extend up to 20,000 light years out into the cosmos, each filament containing more than a million times more mass than our Sun.

The galaxy itself, as well as the entire cluster, is located about 222 million light years away in the constellation of Perseus making it the closest giant elliptical galaxy to Earth. It was discovered by William Herschel (1738-1822) in 1786.

[octopusgirl]

[spaceexp]

Perseus A - A Monster Galaxy at the Heart of Perseus Cluster

[wigmund]

From Astronomy Picture Of The Day; October 6, 2013:

Hubble Remix: Active Galaxy NGC 1275  Data: Hubble Legacy Archive, ESA, NASA; Processing: Al Kelly

Active galaxy NGC 1275 is the central, dominant member of the large and relatively nearby Perseus Cluster of Galaxies. Wild-looking at visible wavelengths, the active galaxy is also a prodigious source of x-rays and radio emission. NGC 1275 accretes matter as entire galaxies fall into it, ultimately feeding a supermassive black hole at the galaxy's core. This color composite image, recreated from archival Hubble Space Telescope data, highlights the resulting galactic debris and filaments of glowing gas, some up to 20,000 light-years long. The filaments persist in NGC 1275, even though the turmoil of galactic collisions should destroy them. What keeps the filaments together? 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 Perseus A, NGC 1275 spans over 100,000 light years and lies about 230 million light years away.