Artist's Impression of an Active Galactic Nucleus Space Wallpaper

Wallpapers
By Space.com Staff
published

Artist's Impression of an Active Galactic Nucleus
The central engine is thought to be a supermassive black hole surrounded by an accretion disc and enshrouded in a dusty doughnut-shaped torus. (Image credit: Aurore Simonnet, Sonoma State University/ESO)

This cool space wallpaper shows an artist's impression of an active galaxy that has jets. The central engine is thought to be a supermassive black hole surrounded by an accretion disc and enshrouded in a dusty doughnut-shaped torus. The torus of dust and gas can be seen orbiting a flatter disc of swirling gas. In the centre, the supermassive black hole is surrounded by a flat accretion disc of rapidly orbiting material. The jets are emitted at right angles from the plane of the disc.

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Space.com Staff
Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.