Staring at a dim halo

A handout photo showing the elliptical galaxy Centaurus A. - AFP

Astronomers said they have examined the remotest parts yet of an elliptical galaxy, Centaurus A, and discovered its starry halo was bigger, more lopsided and richer in heavy elements than expected.

The Hubble Space Telescope, a joint project of Nasa and the European Space Agency, scanned the outskirts of the giant galaxy from its position in low Earth orbit, using ultra-sensitive onboard cameras.