NASA | NASA's Fermi Shows How Active Galaxies Can Be

Active galaxies called blazars make up the largest class of objects detected by Fermi's Large Area Telescope (LAT). Massive black holes in the hearts of these galaxies fire particle jets in our direction. Fermi team member Elizabeth Hays narrates this quick tour of blazars, which includes LAT movies showing how rapidly their emissions can change.


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[fabmd]

I am increasingly in awe of NASA. These videos are very educational. Thank you! Maybe I will change careers and work at NASA someday.

[watermelonpizza]

The craziest thing imo is what we are seeing of that black hole now (0:35) actually happened 7 BILLION years ago!

[subh]

@CoreyfromEarth The black hole for the galaxy is like the sun for our planetary system. Of course the sun has its gravitational pull that can pull stuffs right into it, but the same gravitation can help planets keep revolving around it in orbits. Similarly the black hole's strong gravity can pull matter into itself, but can also make the stars go round it (that's the galaxy). The part where black hole make the pulled matter nonexistent is only when the matter has crossed its event horizon.

[Astrostevo]

Nice video. Thanks. Seems we're getting an ever Fermi-er grip on the Gamma ray sky. ;-)

But is it active galaxies or their central supermassive black holes?

[Triglavus]

@IauthenticI There are people working on cures for various illnesses, there are also people working on developing those illnesses. You might not know, but resources on our planet are finite and population is growing far quicker than expected and soon, we'll have to colonize other planes, otherwise people will die. In past, it was all solved by war, so it's your choice. You want cure your cold or you want war?

[naybobdenod]

@subh1 Well said.These narrow minded individuals are oblivious.

[ilgainis]

Kamikaze goes first and director steps in after ;))

[mtlh]

So the light coming from those galaxies is so far away, by the time it gets here the galaxy itself doesnt exist anymore? Coolsauce.

[SubhUnplugged]

@IauthenticI buddy, even if by your logic, I consider all investments towards future as "futile", it seems by the same logic you would call all forms of arts, quest for knowledge, etc, that do not directly contribute towards immediate healthcare, as futile. You see, being human is more than fight for survival.. it involves creativity, quest for knowledge, & understanding ourselves, the environment around us, and our place in the universe. Without those would would just be warmongering animals.

[subh]

@IauthenticI btw, for your information, science & technology has always grown from & has been inspired by science fiction. The ideas of artificial satellites, aircraft flight, even small things like your magnetic swipe card.. hav all been inspired by sci-fi. Of course you don't hav the ability to notice these. I wuld suggest u read some history on development of technology, and how short-sighted people like you have said stupid things as you regarding technology in the past. Hope it will help.