Skip Navigation
menu close modal
Resources

Blazar

A graphic shows a diffused, dark purple ring that fades inward to a bright purple, a lighter purple, and eventually to a light blue gradient. At the center of the circular object is a small black circle from which a transparent beam is emitted, starting as a transparent blue and moving into green, yellow, orange and red.
Credit: NASA
Published: November 30, 2022

An illustration of a blazar, or an active galactic nucleus that emits a powerful radiation jet. The colors depicted in this illustration are for artistic purposes only.

ENLARGE

Explore the Universe

Related

An illustration of NASA's COBE spacecraft.
More
COBE is illustrated in light and dark blues. With two wings made up of three rectangular solar arrays each, the spacecraft's main body is made up of a striped, multi-sided cylinder with an attached cone-shaped structure on top.
COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer)
An illustration of ESA's LISA Pathfinder spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows ESA's LISA Pathfinder spacecraft in shades of blue. The craft has an octagonal shape with a relatively flat "face" with smaller components found around the sides of the spacecraft.
LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) Pathfinder
An illustration of the EXCLAIM instrument.
More
An illustration in multiple shades of blue depicting EXCLAIM. The instrument is made up of a hollow cylindrical object next to a rectangular object. The whole instrument sits within a framework that extends upwards to a point, where it will attach to a balloon.
EXCLAIM (Experiment for Cryogenic Large-Aperture Intensity Mapping)
An illustration of a blue star-forming nebula.
More
A large, amorphous blob in a circular shape has layers of transparent, hazy color overlapping. The different layers are a range of transparent blues, some greener shades than others. While white dots representing stars speckle the whole image, in the upper left part of this shape is a bright white circular cloud with more pronounced and larger stars grouped together.
Star-forming Nebula (Version Two, Blue)
An illustration showing the side of a blue spiral galaxy.
More
A horizontal oval is outlined by diffused, dark blue surrounding a brighter blue which fades to be lighter and brighter as it moves inward. The center of the shape is a hazy white circle. Cutting across the center of the image is a flattened disc outlined in dark blue with a light blue center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Blue)
An illustration of NASA's PIPER instrument.
More
This illustration shows NASA's PIPER instrument in shades of blue. Piper has a cage-like structure with a large cylinder inside of it and smaller boxes attached around it. Long thin support pieces extend from the body upward, which will attach the payload to a large balloon.
PIPER (Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer)
An illustration of a quasar.
More
A graphic shows a tilted disc in the center. A dark, diffuse purple ring lines its outer edge. The dark purple fades inward to a bright purple, light blue, and then lighter until it reaches the center where there is a black spot. From both the top and bottom of the disk's center, an icy light blue beam shoots out.
Quasar
An illustration showing a blue, side view of a barred spiral galaxy.
More
An illustration has an elongated oval in light blue stretching across the center, outlined in a darker blue. Behind the strip is a diffuse, very light blue cloud that fades into a light blue and then a darker blue. All over the image are white speckles, representing stars.
Barred Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Blue)
A horizontal oval illustration of a supernova.
More
A large horizontal oval shape with stripes of lighter and darker green moves inward to a lighter green oval with waved edges. In the center is a dark green oval that appears like a starburst because of the waved outlines that lay on top. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Supernova (Light Green)
An illustration of NASA's SOFIA, a modified Boeing 747 aircraft.
More
This illustration shows NASA's SOFIA in shades of blue. SOFIA is a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft, and so it is shaped like a commercial airplane, with the NASA and German Aerospace Center (DLR) logos on its tail.
SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy)
An illustration of NASA's IXPE observatory.
More
The IXPE observatory is illustrated in shades of blue. The full shape of IXPE is horizontal, with a three-leaf-clover shaped base with small cylinders on each "leaf" of the base. Stemming outward is a long cylindrical body that comes to a larger, open head with a series of thin panels on top.
IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer)
 An illustration of ESA's Euclid spacecraft.
More
An illustration in multiple shades of blue depicting Euclid. The spacecraft has a cylindrical body with an open top and a flat, square base as well as a flat panel along its back.
Euclid
An illustration of an orange elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by dark orange but gets progressively lighter in rings towards the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Orange)
An illustration of a blue spiral galaxy.
More
A hazy range of blues with darker blue around the edge makes up the base of this swirling spiral of white lines twirling inward toward a white cloud with a white spot in the center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Blue)
An illustration showing a purple, side view of a barred spiral galaxy.
More
An illustration has an elongated oval in light purple stretching across the center, outlined in light blue. Behind the strip is a diffuse, yellowish cloud of color that fades into a medium, bright purple. All over the image are white speckles, representing stars.
Barred Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Purple)
An angled oval illustration of a supernova.
More
A large oval shape on an angled tilt with rounded waves around the edge, this graphic has a flower-like appearance. Smaller transparent circles with the same wavy edge are layered inward to create an inner starburst shape. The outer rings are a very yellow green color and they move inward into different light orange colors and finally to a center oval shape that is a dark blue and appears like a starburst because of the waved outlines that lay on top. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Supernova (Yellow)
An illustration of a planetary nebula.
More
In the background is a hazy pink and purple circle, with dark, transparent dark purple around the edge and lighter/brighter pinks leading inward. In front of the big circle is a purple object, shaped like a minimal, twisty lemon. Inside of this shape is a central, light yellow, cloudy circle with a bright white spot in the middle. All within the lemon-shaped object, the white spot is surrounded by a pink oblong oval shape which is overlapped by two large, pink circular shapes and two small, pink circular shapes. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Planetary Nebula (Version One, Pink)
An illustration of a purple elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by dark purple but is primarily a medium, bright purple except for the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Purple)
An illustration of the International Space Station.
More
This illustration shows the International Space Station in shades of blue. The space station has a thin middle body made up of different small modules. Extending out from the middle body of the station, each side is flanked by a "wing" made up of a series of long, rectangular solar array pieces.
International Space Station
An illustration of one of NASA's OAO spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows one of NASA's OAO spacecraft in shades of blue. The body of the satellite is an octagon. The telescope opening is embedded at the top of the octagon, which also has a flap that is open. Two-layered solar panels are attached on both sides. Antennae extend from the top and bottom.
OAO (Orbiting Astronomical Observatory)
An illustration of the HaloSat spacecraft.
More
This HaloSat illustration shows the space telescope in shades of blue. The body of the spacecraft is a rectangle with three circles along the long, narrow side. One solar panel extends from the spacecraft body.
HaloSat
An illustration of a pink and purple star-forming nebula.
More
A large, amorphous blob in a subtle tear drop shape has layers of transparent, hazy color overlapping, starting with a small blue haze around the edge and moving inward to a dark purple, a redder purple, and then a brighter purple. While white dots representing stars speckle the whole image, in the center of this shape is a bright white oval cloud with more pronounced and larger stars grouped together.
Star-forming Nebula (Version One, Purple)
An illustration of the ASCA spacecraft, developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan.
More
A graphic of ASCA is shown in light and dark shades of blue. The body of the spacecraft is bottle shaped, and an array of solar panels crosses on top of the widest part.
ASCA (Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics)
An illustration of a planetary nebula.An illustration of a planetary nebula. The colors depicted in this illustration are for artistic purposes only.
More
A transparent, colorful hourglass shape has a central point that is a white circle surrounded by bright, light haze. Extending out from the center in opposite directions are plumes of color that form the hourglass shape. Each starts as blue near the central circle, then fades into a purplish pink color. The outline of the hourglass shape is wavy and white dots representing stars speckle the image.
Planetary Nebula (Version Two, Pink)
An illustration of a yellow  elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by light yellow but gets progressively more opaque moving towards the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Yellow)

Explore the Universe

Related News

The Large Area Telescope aboard NASA’s Fermi satellite can give us a glimpse of an otherwise invisible cosmic light show.
More
NASA's Fermi Captures Dynamic Gamma-Ray Sky in New Animation
NASA's Fermi Captures Dynamic Gamma-Ray Sky in New Animation
This image features a galaxy called 3C 297 that is lonelier than expected after it likely pulled in and absorbed its former companion galaxies.
More
Chandra Helps Astronomers Discover a Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy
Chandra Helps Astronomers Discover a Surprisingly Lonely Galaxy
A new study using Chandra X-ray Observatory has tracked two pairs of supermassive black holes in dwarf galaxies.
More
NASA's Chandra Discovers Giant Black Holes on Collision Course
NASA's Chandra Discovers Giant Black Holes on Collision Course
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have recorded a star's final moments in detail as it gets gobbled up by a black hole.
More
Hubble Finds Hungry Black Hole Twisting Captured Star Into Donut Shape
Hubble Finds Hungry Black Hole Twisting Captured Star Into Donut Shape
Hundreds of black holes previously hidden, or buried, have been found using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
More
Astronomers Dig Out Buried Black Holes with NASA's Chandra
Astronomers Dig Out Buried Black Holes with NASA's Chandra
NASA's Swift and Fermi missions detected a high-energy gamma-ray burst about 1 billion light-years away.
More
NASA Missions Probe Game-Changing Cosmic Explosion
NASA Missions Probe Game-Changing Cosmic Explosion
A new sonification turns X-ray “light echoes” from a black hole called V404 Cygni into sound.
More
'Listen' to the Light Echoes From a Black Hole
'Listen' to the Light Echoes From a Black Hole
NASA’s IXPE helped scientists find the best explanation yet for how blazar jets get accelerated to such high energies.
More
NASA's IXPE Helps Solve Black Hole Jet Mystery
NASA's IXPE Helps Solve Black Hole Jet Mystery
NASA's IXPE found that the flow of matter toward the black hole’s disk is more edge on than previously thought.
More
NASA's IXPE Reveals Shape, Orientation of Hot Matter Around Black Hole
NASA's IXPE Reveals Shape, Orientation of Hot Matter Around Black Hole
NASA’s newest X-ray eyes are open and ready for discovery.
More
NASA's New IXPE Mission Begins Science Operations
NASA's New IXPE Mission Begins Science Operations
NASA’s IXPE mission launched Thursday, December 9, 2021, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
More
NASA Launches New Mission to Explore Universe's Most Dramatic Objects
NASA Launches New Mission to Explore Universe's Most Dramatic Objects
NASA’s Roman will use its microlensing survey to provide the best opportunity yet to definitively detect solitary small black holes.
More
How NASA's Roman Telescope Will Uncover Lonesome Black Holes
How NASA's Roman Telescope Will Uncover Lonesome Black Holes
Black holes are some of the most bizarre and fascinating objects in the cosmos – but they're invisible!
More
Black Holes: Seeing the Invisible!
Black Holes: Seeing the Invisible!
For the first time, scientists mapped out the invisible magnetic fields pulsing through Centaurus A using infrared light.
More
Galactic Merger Warps Magnetic Fields
Galactic Merger Warps Magnetic Fields
An international team of astronomers discovered a cosmic equivalent to Yellow Stone's Old Faithful geyser.
More
NASA Missions Help Investigate an ‘Old Faithful' Active Galaxy
NASA Missions Help Investigate an ‘Old Faithful' Active Galaxy
Explore the bonds between some of the universe’s notable couples
More
Cosmic Couples and Devastating Breakups
Cosmic Couples and Devastating Breakups
After more than 16 years studying the universe in infrared light, NASA's Spitzer mission has come to an end.
More
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope Ends Mission of Astronomical Discovery
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope Ends Mission of Astronomical Discovery
For the first time, NASA’s TESS watched a black hole tear apart a star.
More
NASA's TESS Mission Spots Its 1st Star-shredding Black Hole
NASA's TESS Mission Spots Its 1st Star-shredding Black Hole
NuSTAR’s observations of an ultraluminous X-ray source offer possible explanations for these mysterious objects.
More
NASA Satellite Spots a Mystery That's Gone in a Flash
NASA Satellite Spots a Mystery That's Gone in a Flash
Since its launch, NASA’s Spitzer has lifted the veil on the wonders of the cosmos using infrared light.
More
Sixteen Images for Spitzer's Sweet 16
Sixteen Images for Spitzer's Sweet 16
By combining NASA Chandra data with the EHT image, scientists can learn more about the giant black hole M87* and its behavior.
More
Chandra Captures X-rays in Coordination with Event Horizon Telescope
Chandra Captures X-rays in Coordination with Event Horizon Telescope
Scientists charted the environment surrounding a stellar-mass black hole using NASA’s NICER.
More
NASA's NICER Mission Maps ‘Light Echoes' of New Black Hole
NASA's NICER Mission Maps ‘Light Echoes' of New Black Hole
Did you know our Milky Way galaxy is blowing bubbles? Two of them, each 25,000 light-years tall!
More
Blowing Bubbles in the Gamma-ray Sky
Blowing Bubbles in the Gamma-ray Sky
For the first time, scientists using NASA’s Fermi found the source of a high-energy neutrino from outside our galaxy.
More
NASA's Fermi Traces Source of Cosmic Neutrino to Monster Black Hole
NASA's Fermi Traces Source of Cosmic Neutrino to Monster Black Hole
Scientists have been making strides in the field of multimessenger astronomy.
More
Using All of Our Senses in Space
Using All of Our Senses in Space