| Centaurus A (Cen A) |
| A radio galaxy, identified with an elliptical galaxy, NGC 5128. At a distance of 15 million light years, it is the nearest radio galaxy and consequently one of the most studied. The visible galaxy is crossed by a thick dark lane of dust. The radio-emitting lobes jut out at right angles to the dust lane, extending across 7° of sky, equivalent to almost two million light years. It is also a strong source of X-rays. |