Cygnus A is one of the most powerful radio galaxies in the universe and scientists have been able to confirm a theory that has been proposed nearly four decades ago regarding its structure.
Black hole-powered “central engines” producing bright emission at various wavelengths, and jets extending far beyond the galaxy are common to many galaxies, but show different properties when observed. Those differences led to a variety of names, such as quasars, blazars, or Seyfert galaxies. To explain the differences, theorists constructed a “unified model” with a common set of features that would show different properties depending on the angle from which they are viewed.
Based on the unified model, an artist produced an illustration of what Cygnus A looks like shown above. The black hole is at the center while a black mass orbits around it and jets of light are being emitted from the core.
(Image credit: Bill Saxton/NRAO/AUI/NSF)