Chill Vibes with Cats

A Starburst Galaxy - Centaurus A

Centaurus A (NGC 5128) is a prominent starburst galaxy in the constellation of Centaurus. A starburst galaxy is a galaxy this is undergoing a high rate of star formation, as compared to the long-term average rate of star formation in the galaxy or the star formation rate observed in most other galaxies. In a starburst galaxy, the rate of star formation is so large that the galaxy will consume all of its gas reservoir, from which the stars are forming, on a timescale much shorter than the age of the galaxy. As such, the starburst nature of a galaxy is a phase, and one that typically occupies a brief period of a galaxy’s evolution. The majority of starburst galaxies are in the midst of a merger or close encounter with another galaxy.