Centaurus A size and scale context

Centaurus A is the nearest giant active galaxy and one of the strangest-looking galaxies in the sky. A dark dust lane cuts across its bright body because it is likely the aftermath of a merger between a giant elliptical galaxy and a smaller spiral galaxy, while a supermassive black hole at its core powers intense radio and X-ray emission. Read its scale context, comparisons, and journey links on the canonical object page.