Spark and Perl go looking
Another stripe.
But this one is the wrong shape.
Well spotted.
Round galaxies are not supposed to have dust like that.
So where did it come from?
From a different galaxy.
This one swallowed it, and the leftovers are still lying across the middle.
Did all the stars crash?
Almost none of them.
There is that much room between stars.
Yes.
In spring, and the further south you are, the higher it climbs.
You can see this from almost anywhere — but not the very far north.
Where to find Centaurus A (NGC 5128), and when
Where the Earth is clear, it climbs high in the sky. The darker it gets, the lower it stays. Where it is black, it never comes up. No shading at all: it does not matter where you live.
What do I need to see Centaurus A (NGC 5128)?
Binoculars with 10× magnification show it, if you rest them on a fence or a wall.
A 150 mm telescope is what shows it properly. This picture is about 60× — which is what that telescope gives on a good night.
Space
Eyes, binoculars, or telescope?
Read on
Go and look