What is an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN)?

Sept. 28, 2024

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) recently found evidence of an interaction between a radio jet emitted from a special kind of galaxy called Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and the surrounding interstellar medium.

About Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN):

An AGN is an extremely bright central region of a galaxy that is dominated by the light emitted by dust and gas as it falls into a black hole.
The extremely luminous central region emits higher radiation that can outshine the rest of the galaxy altogether.
AGNs emit radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.
This radiation is produced by the action of a central supermassive black hole that is devouring material that gets too close to it.
A galaxy hosting an AGN is called an ‘active galaxy’.
AGNs are the most luminous, persistent sources of electromagnetic radiation in the Universe. This means they can be used to discover distant objects.
Astronomers have also classified different types of AGN based on their observed characteristics.
- The most powerful AGNs are known as quasars, which give rise to extremely luminous galactic centres.
- A blazar is an AGN with a jet of light and energy that is pointed toward the Earth.