‘Photo Essays’ Archives
Astronomy Picture of the Day
NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge Image Credit & Copyright: Bob Franke Explanation: Magnificent spiral galaxy NGC 4565 is viewed edge-on from planet Earth. Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile, bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky, in the faint but well-groomed constellation Coma Berenices. This sharp, colorful image reveals the galaxy's bulging central core cut by obscuring dust lanes that lace NGC 4565'sthin galactic plane. An ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
This sharp cosmic portrait features glowing gas and obscuring dust clouds in IC 1795, a star forming region in the northern constellation Cassiopeia.The Color of IC 1795 Image Credit & Copyright: Bob and Janice Fera (Fera Photography) Explanation: This sharp cosmic portrait features glowing gas and obscuring dust clouds in IC 1795, a star forming region in the northern constellation Cassiopeia. Also cataloged as NGC 896, the nebula's remarkable details, shown in its dominant ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Larry Van Vleet Explanation: It's the bubble versus the cloud. NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula, is being pushed out by the stellar wind of massive central star BD+602522. Next door, though, lives a giant molecular cloud, visible to the right. At this place in space, an irresistible force meets animmovable object in an interesting way. The cloud is able to contain the expansion of the bubble gas, but gets blasted by the hot ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Nobels for a Strange Universe Image Credit: High-Z Supernova Search Team, HST, NASA Explanation: Thirteen years ago results were first presented indicating that most of the energy in our universe is not in stars or galaxies but is tied to space itself. In the language of cosmologists, a large cosmological constant is directly implied by new distant supernovaobservations. Suggestions of a cosmological constant (lambda) were not new -- they have existed since the advent ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Violent Sunspot Group AR 1302 Unleashes a Flare Image Credit: jp-BrahicExplanation: One of the most active sunspot groups in years is currently crossing the Sun. AR 1302 first came around the Sun's edge last week and is so large it can be seen without a telescope. Coronal Mass Ejections from AR 1302 have already caused strong geomagnetic storms including notable aurora activity around both of Earth's poles. Pictured above, plasma was left magnetically hanging above the Sun's ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Named the Sombrero Galaxy for its hat-like resemblance, M104 features a prominent dust lane and a bright halo of stars and globular clusters. Reasons for the Sombrero's hat-like appearance include an unusually large and extended central bulge of stars, and dark prominent dust lanes that appear in a disk that we see nearly edge-on. The Sombrero Galaxy from Hubble Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI / AURA) Explanation: What's going on in the center of this ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
The beautiful Trifid Nebula is a cosmic study in colorful contrasts. Also known as M20, it lies about 5,000 light-years away toward the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. A star forming region in the plane of our galaxy A Beautiful Trifid Image Credit & Copyright: R Jay Gabany Explanation: The beautiful Trifid Nebula is a cosmic study in colorful contrasts. Also known as M20, it lies about 5,000 light-years away toward the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. A ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Stars, like bees, swarm around the center of bright globular cluster M15. This ball of over 100,000 stars is a relic from the early years of our Galaxy, and continues to orbit the Milky Way's center. Globular Cluster M15 from Hubble Credit: ESA, Hubble, NASA Explanation: Stars, like bees, swarm around the center of bright globular cluster M15. This ball of over 100,000 stars is a relic from the early years of our Galaxy, and continues to orbit the Milky Way's ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
It is a hurricane twice the size of the Earth. It has been raging at least as long as telescopes could see it, and shows no signs of slowing. It is Jupiter's Great Red Spot, the largest swirling storm system in the Solar System. Jupiter's Great Red Spot from Voyager 1 Credit: NASA, JPL; Digital processing: Björn Jónsson (IAAA) Explanation: It is a hurricane twice the size of the Earth. It has been raging at least as long as telescopes could see it, and shows no signs of ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Tycho! Tycho! burning bright In the darkness of the night, What exploding white dwarf star Did frame thy remnant from afar, Tycho's Supernova Remnant X-Ray Image Credit: NASA / CXC / F.J. Lu (Chinese Academy of Sciences) et al. Poem: Alice Allen (apologies to William Blake) Explanation: Tycho! Tycho! burning bright In the darkness of the night, What exploding white dwarf star Did frame thy remnant from afar, In the distant deep dark skies Under gaze of human ... Full Story
