Superluminal Motion in the Jet of M87
This animation illustrates superluminal motion in the optical jet of the active galaxy
M87. The top diagram shows the motion in the inner part of the jet from 1994 through
1998. The bottom diagram illustrates that the knot in the jet marked by the arrow in
the upper animation appears to move 24 light years in just 4 years, implying an apparent
velocity of 6 c. This is an illusion caused by a relativistic jet pointed
nearly in our direction. In reality the velocity of the jet never exceeds the velocity
of
light.
Usage:
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