Galaxies · Radio galaxy
Hercules A
2.1 billion light-years · Light crosses it in 919,997 years
- Across
- 920,000 light-years
- Vs Earth
- 9.2× Milky Way
Open Hercules A in Cosmic Scale
In the app, Hercules A is part of the Beyond pack.
About
Hercules A is a giant elliptical galaxy whose central black hole, about 4 billion Suns, blasts out jets of particles at nearly the speed of light. The jets swell into radio lobes nearly a million light-years across.
Its black hole, about 4 billion Suns, shoots jets nearly a million light-years across.
At a glance
| Distance | About 2.1 billion light-years |
|---|---|
| Span | Nearly 1 million light-years |
| Black hole | About 4 billion Suns |
| Discovered | 1961, as a radio source |
Did you know
- It is one of the brightest radio sources in the sky.
- The jets are invisible to the eye; the drawing shows what radio telescopes see.
- Its host galaxy is about 1,000 times as massive as the Milky Way.