Discovered in XIX century galaxy in the constellation of Centaurus, until recently, did not give rest to astronomers. The fact that she does not fit into any framework - even her type was impossible to determine. Recently, however, scientists still managed to classify "crazy" NGC 5128 - she belongs to this type, which is simply not been previously described.

This galaxy, Centaurus a or NGC 5128 (in the new galactic directory), opened a long time ago - on April 29, 1826. And since then, researchers tirelessly explore her, revealing many unusual. The distance to it is estimated at 10-16 million light-years or 3-5 megaparsecs and visible its size in angular seconds are 25,7' x 20,0'.IN the optical range she looks bleak: impervious dust education is highlighted in red stars, and in the center of the galaxy dust lanes are so thick that hide the glow of the galactic bulge, the Central star of the population in NGC 5128.

It should be noted that the first form Centauri, And was identified as elliptical, because a typical feature of these galaxies are red stars. But usually in the giant elliptical galaxies dark dust structures is very little. And in addition, a large number of young blue stars in the Centaurus And atypical for galaxies of similar type. In addition, generation of powerful stream of radio emission testified unusual NGC 5128.

Therefore, in the original edition of a new galactic directory Centaurus And is included in many "nominations": like a giant lens (S0), in fact elliptical, and how bright galaxy (she is in fifth place after the milky way, the Magellanic clouds, Andromeda and Triangle) and as an active galaxy - its radiation forms two huge long stream coming from the galactic center. As you can see, the combination of images in different lengths of electromagnetic waves is Centaurus, And in all its extraordinary nature!

The diameter of NGC 5128 is 60 thousand light years, and it is likely that have grown closer collision of two galaxies has created a giant, now known as the Centaurus A. This assumption explains the emergence of young stars, but is not open to interpretation monstrous amounts of dust.

According to the Fermi telescope, radio galaxy Centaurus, And was also a powerful source of gamma radiation. It can produce black holes massive galactic center. Relativistic flows, jets from black holes flowing in opposite directions, extend over a distance of one million light years. Therefore, Centaurus, And may speak in another new "the category" - active gamma-galaxy!

Gamma-radiation in billions of times larger than the radio spectral energy. In Centaurus a gamma-rays are born in the interaction of photons with high-energy electrons in relativistic jets - this phenomenon is called the effect of inverse Compton scattering. Relativistic jets huge, they are visible to the Fermi telescope size is 20 times better than the diameter of the full moon. It should be noted that the inverse Compton scattering contributes to the x-ray luminosity active galaxies, and centaurs, And discovered the ability of generating even more energetic radiation of gamma-quantums!

All the signs of extraordinary galaxy scientists create a more complete idea about it. "To clarify the configuration NGC 5128 (lenticular, elliptical or more difficult) prospectively using radio telescopes ALMA in spectral lines CO two spiral arms, like the sleeve of these spiral galaxies" said Alison peck, one of the participants of the study group of the United ALMA Observatory.

Astronomers tend to the version, that NGC 5128 is the product of the merger of two smaller galaxies. And now an additional argument, common not only with a lens-shaped or elliptical, but also with other types of galaxies.

Although discovered sleeves gas (note: not a star, like our milky way), they not only look like a spiral, but moved with similar parameters. Even their size (500 ± 200 parsecs) and inclination relative to the plane (20 C) is similar to the parameters of the sleeves of spiral galaxies.

So, we can say that discovered a unique, still in the Universe is not found phenomenon: spiral arm, not consisting of stars, and of molecular gas.

Why and how there are spiral dust sleeve in the evolution of elliptical galaxies? This question is waiting for a definitive answer. Presumably, these sleeves in the evolution of elliptical galaxies occur in relatively recent (not more than 300 million years ago) phenomenon in the cosmic scale. The occurrence of such sleeveless should encourage the formation due to seal them gas. And the appearance of gas sleeves can be an intermediate merger last Centauri And with neighboring galaxy.