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 Hubble spacecraft.
More
This Hubble illustration shows the space telescope in shades of blue. A main cylindrical body has an opening with a flap at the top. The spacecraft's main body connects to two sets of two panels jutting out from either side horizontally and two circular objects attached vertically.
Hubble Space Telescope
 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 showing the side of an irregular galaxy.
More
A very long, diffuse, vaguely oval-shaped blob has a hazy dark purple color around its edge and it gets progressively lighter moving inward toward a cloudy white center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Irregular Galaxy (Side View)
An illustration of JAXA’s XRISM spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows NASA's XRISM spacecraft in shades of blue. A multi-sided cylindrical body has solar array "wings" on either side and a smaller, rounded cylindrical front with small pieces of the instrument at the very front.
XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission)
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 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 purple spiral galaxy.
More
A hazy range of purples makes up the base of this swirling spiral of light blue lines twirling inward toward a yellow cloud with a white spot in the center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Purple)
An illustration of JAXA's Suzaku spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows the Suzaku spacecraft in shades of blue. The long body of the spacecraft is narrower at the top than at the bottom, which has a hollow area underneath. Solar panels extend to either side of the widest part of the body. Round circles representing the telescopes extend from the top of the narrowest part of the body.
Suzaku
An illustration of ESA's XMM Newton observatory.
More
This illustration shows ESA's XMM-Newton observatory in shades of blue. Overall, the craft is dragonfly-shaped with a long, cylindrical body and an open "head" from which two solar array "wings" extend.
XMM Newton (X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission Newton)
An illustration of the COSI spacecraft.
More
COSI is illustrated in light and dark blues. The spacecraft has a hexagonal body topped with a box with various attachments. One solar panel extends to the left side of the satellite’s body.
COSI (Compton Spectrometer and Imager)
A circular illustration of a supernova.
More
A large circular shape with rounded waves around the edge, this graphic gives the appearance of a flower. Smaller transparent circles with the same wavy edge are layered inward to create an inner starburst shape. While the outer rings are a muddy, light red color, the inner starburst shape is a darker color with green around its edge and dark blue in the center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Supernova (Red)
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 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 NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
More
This illustration shows NASA's Roman mission in shades of blue. A multi-sided cylindrical body has an opening at its top. Exending from the opening are panels along the top half. A flat panel on the back represents the solar panel. Along the side of the body a few instruments are visible.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
An illustration of NASA's SuperTIGER instrument.
More
This illustration shows NASA's SuperTIGER instrument in shades of blue. This balloon-borne instrument has a main, box-shaped body on top of a structure that has panels attached to the bottom and a piece of the structure that extends outward on one side of the box-shaped instrument body.
SuperTIGER (Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder)
An illustration of NASA's NICER X-ray observatory.
More
This illustration shows NASA's NICER observatory in shades of blue. A smaller, flat and square lower half connects to a top half that is cube-shaped with a series of small, circular pieces across its face.
NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer)
An illustration of a planetary nebula.
More
A subtly transparent, colorful hourglass shape has a central point that is a white circle surrounded by bright, white haze. Extending outward from the center in opposite directions are plums of color that form the hourglass shape. The central part of each plume starts as an icy, light blue and fades upward into a purple color and outward into red. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Planetary Nebula (Version Two, Purple)
The history of the universe is outlined in this illustration. 
More
This infographic is done in shades of blue and white. At the top left is the title: “History of the Universe.” Below that is a cone with graphics representing different stages of cosmic history within eight evenly spaced ovals. Below the cone is text connected to each oval indicating time since the beginning of the universe, the name of the cosmic era, and a brief description. The first oval on the left is filled with blobs, and the associated text reads: 10 to the negative 32 seconds, Inflation, and Initial expansion. Moving right, the next oval is filled with light (represented as squiggles), protons, and neutrons. The text below reads: one microsecond; first particles; and neutrons, protons, and electrons form. The next oval is filled with light (squiggles) and atomic nuclei. The text below reads: three minutes; first nuclei; and helium and hydrogen form. The next oval is filled with light (squiggles) and atoms. The text below reads: 380,000 years; first light; and the first atoms form. The next oval is filled with transparent areas of blue representing gas with a few dots representing stars. The text below reads: 200 million years; first stars; and gas and dust condense into stars. The next oval is filled with tightly packed galaxies with some transparent areas representing gas. The text below reads: 400 million years; galaxies and dark matter; and galaxies form in dark matter cradles. The next oval is filled with galaxies that have moved apart with stars in between. The text below reads: 10 billion years; dark energy; and expansion accelerates. The last oval is filled with galaxies that have moved far apart with stars in between. The text below reads: 13.8 billion years; today; and humans observe the universe.
History of the Universe
An illustration of NASA’s BurstCube spacecraft.
More
A graphic of BurstCube is shown in light and dark shades of blue. The satellite’s body is rectangular, with the long side facing the viewer. Solar panels are attached to the short, left-hand side.
BurstCube
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 NASA’s WMAP spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows NASA’s WMAP spacecraft in shades of blues. The bottom of the satellite is a round circle, like a ballerina’s tutu. Rising from the circle is a bulky, vaguely cylindrical shape topped by two circles facing opposite directions.
WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe)
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)
An illustration showing a blue, front view of a barred spiral galaxy.
More
A background of medium, bright blue shows a bright, white, thin line that creates an oblong, elongated swirl that connects in the middle with a lighter blue, diffuse cloud. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Barred Spiral Galaxy (Front View, Blue)
An illustration showing the side of a purple spiral galaxy.
More
A horizontal oval is outlined by a diffuse, bright purple surrounding a darker purple outline which fades through lighter and brighter purple colors as it moves inward. The center of the shape is a hazy yellow circle. Cutting across the center of the image is a flattened disc outlined in light blue with a blueish-gray center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Purple)
An illustration of NASA's ASTHROS spacecraft.
More
A graphic of ASTHROS is shown in light and dark shades of blue and has a main cage-like body with large, rectangular panels stemming from its sides, small square panels on its lower half, and a thin structure protruding from the top. (This structure will attach to a large balloon). A telescope protrudes from the back of the structure.
ASTHROS (Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution)

Explore the Universe

Related News

A new collection of stunning images highlights data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes.
More
A Fab Five: New Images with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
A Fab Five: New Images with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
When a star strays too close to a black hole, gravitational forces create tides that break the star apart into a stream of gas.
More
NASA's Swift Learns a New Trick, Spots a Snacking Black Hole
NASA's Swift Learns a New Trick, Spots a Snacking Black Hole
A powerful satellite called XRISM is set to provide astronomers with a revolutionary look at the X-ray sky.
More
JAXA, NASA XRISM Mission Ready for Liftoff
JAXA, NASA XRISM Mission Ready for Liftoff
Astronomers have made a thorough forensic study of a star that was torn apart when it ventured too close to a giant black hole.
More
A Giant Black Hole Destroys a Massive Star
A Giant Black Hole Destroys a Massive Star
A new satellite called XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) aims to pry apart high-energy light into the equivalent of an X-ray rainbow.
More
XRISM Mission To Study ‘Rainbow' of X-rays
XRISM Mission To Study ‘Rainbow' of X-rays
Scientists have found evidence of a universal background of gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of space-time.
More
15 Years of Radio Data Reveals Evidence of Space-Time Murmur
15 Years of Radio Data Reveals Evidence of Space-Time Murmur
Astronomers discovered an arrangement of 10 galaxies that existed just 830 million years after the big bang.
More
NASA's Webb Identifies the Earliest Strands of the Cosmic Web
NASA's Webb Identifies the Earliest Strands of the Cosmic Web
In a study published June 7, in the journal Science Advances, scientists used NuSTAR to observe unique characteristics of the BOAT gamma-ray burst.
More
Brightest Cosmic Explosion Ever Detected Had Other Unique Features
Brightest Cosmic Explosion Ever Detected Had Other Unique Features
Astronomers have come up with some of their best evidence yet for the presence of an "intermediate-sized" black hole.
More
NASA's Hubble Hunts for Intermediate-Sized Black Hole Close to Home
NASA's Hubble Hunts for Intermediate-Sized Black Hole Close to Home
Astronomers used Chandra X-ray Observatory to make a map of the hot gas (pink) in and around M84.
More
'H' is for Hot and Huge in Chandra Image
'H' is for Hot and Huge in Chandra Image
Can a star be squeezed like a tube of toothpaste or stretched out like a piece of spaghetti? If there's a black hole nearby, maybe.
More
What Happens When Something Gets ‘Too Close' to a Black Hole?
What Happens When Something Gets ‘Too Close' to a Black Hole?
Two neutron stars begin to merge in this illustration, blasting a jet of high-speed particles and producing a cloud of debris.
More
Neutron Stars Collide
Neutron Stars Collide
A supercomputer simulation shows what kind of light gas would produce around supermassive black holes as they merge.
More
A Mesmerizing Model of Monster Black Holes
A Mesmerizing Model of Monster Black Holes
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of the lenticular galaxy NGC 3489.
More
Hubble Observes an In-between Galaxy
Hubble Observes an In-between Galaxy
A new NASA animation highlights the “super” in supermassive black holes.
More
NASA Animation Sizes Up the Universe's Biggest Black Holes
NASA Animation Sizes Up the Universe's Biggest Black Holes
For the first time, astronomers have measured the three-dimensional shape of one of the biggest and closest elliptical galaxies to us, M87.
More
Giant Galaxy Seen in 3D by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Observatory
Giant Galaxy Seen in 3D by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Observatory
This supermassive black hole has left behind a never-before-seen 200,000-light-year-long "contrail" of newborn stars.
More
Hubble Sees Possible Runaway Black Hole Creating a Trail of Stars
Hubble Sees Possible Runaway Black Hole Creating a Trail of Stars
Using Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories, astronomers have discovered a pair of gravitationally bound quasars.
More
Hubble Unexpectedly Finds Double Quasar in Distant Universe
Hubble Unexpectedly Finds Double Quasar in Distant Universe
This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows Z 229-15, a celestial object that lies about 390 million light-years from Earth.
More
Hubble Views an Intriguing Active Galaxy
Hubble Views an Intriguing Active Galaxy
On Oct. 9, 2022, a pulse of intense radiation swept through the solar system so exceptional that astronomers quickly dubbed it the BOAT.
More
NASA Missions Study What May Be a 1-In-10,000-Year Gamma-ray Burst
NASA Missions Study What May Be a 1-In-10,000-Year Gamma-ray Burst
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