An image of the galaxy Centaurus A captured by the Dark Energy Camera based in Chile. (Image credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/DOE/NSF/AURA/M. Soraisam/T.A. Rector/M. Zamani/D. de Martin)
Centaurus A is a giant galaxy located in the constellation of Centaurus.
Also known as NGC 5128, LEDA 46957, ESO 270-9, and Caldwell 7, it is one of the brightest objects in the southern hemisphere night sky.
Centaurus A was discovered on April 29, 1826 by the Scottish astronomer James Dunlop.
At a distance of 13 million light-years, it is the closest active galactic nucleus to us.