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In an active galaxy, all the action takes place near the central black hole
Active galactic nuclei
Illustration by Adrian Mann
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Illustration by Adrian Mann

Active galactic nuclei

In an active galaxy, all the action takes place near the central black hole

Jet High-energy jets shoot out in opposite directions, perpendicular to the accretion disc; they can be very bright if seen head-on.

Supermassive black hole All the energy ultimately comes from the black hole’s incredibly strong gravitational field.

Accretion disc Material orbiting the black hole at close range releases huge amounts of energy as it gradually spirals in.

Dusty torus The accretion disc is surrounded by a larger, doughnut-shaped region of dust-like material, which obscures the view from some angles.

Viewing direction How much activity an observer actually sees depends on their viewing angle relative to the disk, torus and jets.

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