Posts Tagged ‘astronomy’
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
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
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Some 60 million light-years away in the southerly constellation Corvus, two large galaxies collided. The Antennae Image Credit & Copyright: Acquisition and data reduction - Andrey Oreshko (Elena Remote Observatory), Processing - Dietmar Hager (stargazer-observatory) Explanation: Some 60 million light-years away in the southerly constellation Corvus, two large galaxies collided. But the stars in the two galaxies, cataloged as NGC 4038 and NGC 4039, don't collide in the ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
An ingenious and creative 10 second exposure from a swinging camera recorded these gyrating trails of the celestial pairing. Can you tell which trail belongs to the star and which to the planet? Scintillating Image Credit & Copyright: Juergen Michelberger Explanation: On June 4, 2010 Regulus, alpha star of the constellation Leo, and wandering planet Mars were at about the same apparent brightness, separated on the sky by 1.5 degrees. An ingenious and creative 10 second exposure ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
In silhouette against a crowded star field toward the constellation Scorpius, this dusty cosmic cloud evokes for some the image of an ominous dark tower. In fact, clumps of dust and molecular gas collapsing to form stars may well lurk within the dark nebula, The Dark Tower in Scorpius Credit & Copyright: Don Goldman Explanation: In silhouette against a crowded star field toward the constellation Scorpius, this dusty cosmic cloud evokes for some the image of an ominous ... Full Story
Astronomy Picture of the Day
A satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is an alluring sight in dark southern skies and the constellation Dorado. Hydrogen in the LMC Credit & Copyright: Marco Lorenzi (Star Echoes) Explanation: A satellite galaxy of our own Milky Way, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is an alluring sight in dark southern skies and the constellation Dorado. A mere 180,000 light-years distant, the LMC is seen in amazing detail in this very deep 4 frame ... Full Story
