The field of active galaxies is recognised as one of increasing importance. But how do we know there are different kinds of galaxy? What are active galaxies? How are they powered? This unit examines the different types of active galaxy and looks at the crucial role of the active galactic nucleus and the energy source at its heart. This study unit is just one of many that can be found on LearningSpace, part of OpenLearn, a collection of open educational resources from The Open University. Published in ePub 2.0.1 format, some feature such as audio, video and linked PDF are not supported by all ePub readers.