| Seyfert galaxy | One of a small class of galaxies (many of which are spirals) of very high luminosity and very blue continuum radiation with small, intensely bright nuclei whose spectra show strong, broad, high-excitation emission lines probably caused by discrete clouds moving at velocities that are higher than the escape velocity. Seyferts possess many of the properties of QSOs, such as the ultraviolet excess of the continuum, the wide emission lines, and the strong infrared luminosity. The energy sources in their nuclei are unexplained; presumably the energy input can be associated with some process that liberates gravitational binding energy to accelerate relativistic particles. Seyferts comprise about 1 percent of the bright galaxies. The brightest Seyfert known is NGC 1068. Weedman-Khachikian classification: class 1 Seyferts have broad Balmer line wings; class 2 have no obvious Balmer line wings. | spiral galaxy |
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