Free Astronomy Magazine September-October 2026

12 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 ASTRO PUBLISHING galaxy. These images mark four years of better-than-anticipated per- formance and successful science op- erations for the most powerful space telescope in history. Centaurus A is 11 million light-years away from Earth, relatively close in cosmic terms. Yet, unlike most near- by galaxies, it is very active, making it a powerful laboratory for under- standing how galaxies and black holes grow and evolve together. At its core sits a supermassive black hole actively feeding on surround- ing material. As it does, the black hole launches powerful jets and re- leases enormous amounts of energy, shaping the galaxy around it. At the same time, Centaurus A bears the scars of a dramatic past: a major col- lision with another galaxy roughly two billion years ago. The aftermath of that merger is still visible today in its unusual structure and ongoing star formation. Visible light observations from NA- SA’s Hubble Space Telescope could not reveal the central region where dust blocked the view, while NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope re- Webb uncovers unusual galaxy shaped by cosmic collision by NASA/ESA/CSA Laura Betz, Bethany Downer, Christine Pulliam I n new images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to cele- brate its fourth science anniver- sary, a familiar galaxy transforms into something far richer, and far more complex, than ever seen be- fore. Webb’s unprecedented sensi- tivity across near- and mid-infrared wavelengths cuts through the thick lanes of dust that obscure Centaurus A’s center in visible light, showing a densely packed tapestry of individ- ual stars and an active, everchanging