Galaxy
Centaurus A
Also NGC 5128 · Cen A
A nearby galaxy crossed by a dark dust lane, with giant radio lobes powered by its central black hole.
Measured
- Distance
- about 12 million light-years (published estimates 11 million–13 million)
- Size
- about 123,000 light-years across (approximate)
- Constellation
- Centaurus
- Position (J2000)
- RA 13h 25m 27s, Dec −43.02°
How far, from the Sun
About 12 million light-years. To cross it:
- Light12 million years
- Voyager 1's speed213 billion years
- Driving at 100 km/h130 trillion years
Voyager 1 at the speed it moved outward over the year to 2026-10-25 (JPL Horizons). Driving: nonstop, never refuelling.
Facts
- Its radio lobes span about 10 degrees of sky, 20 times the full Moon's width.
- Its central black hole is about 45 to 55 million times the Sun's mass.
- Its dust lane is thought to come from merging with a smaller spiral galaxy.
How it was found
- James Dunlop discovered it in 1826.
Where this comes from
- Tully et al. 2013, AJ 146, 86 (3.66 Mpc)
Every catalogue Ouranos draws is credited on the credits page.