A specific class of galaxies which have active galactic nuclei. These can be
spiral galaxies or
barred spiral galaxies which have bright, compact galactic nuclei. The nuclei far outshine the
spiral arms of the host galaxies and are far too bright to be composed only of stars. The
electromagnetic radiation released by these Seyfert nuclei is not in the form of
black body radiation, either, and hence cannot possibly be starlight. These observations have lead to the idea that there is something else, which is very energetic, in the nuclear region as well. The spectra of the nuclear regions contain
spectral emission lines which suggest that hydrogen clouds are swirling around the active galactic nucleus at very high velocities. In many ways, Seyferts resemble
quasars but are slightly less powerful and much closer to us. See also unified theory of active galaxies.