The Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) is an image of a small region of space in the Fornax Constellation, composited from Hubble Space Telescope data accumulated over a 4 month period. It is the deepest image of the universe ever taken, looking back approximately 13 billion years (between 400 and 800 million years after the Big Bang), and it …
Monthly Archive
for: ‘August, 2010’
Open star cluster NGC 6791 including two background galaxies
NGC 6791 is an open star cluster in the Lyra Constellation. With an age of about 8 billion years, iron to hydrogen abundance ratio that is more than twice that of the Sun, it is one of the oldest and most metal-rich open star clusters in the Milky Way galaxy. This is contrary to the general guidelines where older means more …
Helix Nebula ilustrates the end of a star’s evolution
The Helix Nebula, also known as The Helix or NGC 7293, is a large planetary nebula located in the Aquarius Constellation. This object is one of the closest to planet Earth of all the bright planetary nebulae. It’s appearance is similar to the Ring Nebula, whose size, age, and physical characteristics are similar to the Dumbbell Nebula, varying only in its relative proximity and …
Comprehensive asteroids discovery timelapse 1980-2010
View of the solar system showing the locations of all the asteroids starting in 1980, as asteroids are discovered they are added to the map and highlighted white so you can pick out the new ones. The final colour of an asteroids indicates how closely it comes to the inner solar system. Earth Crossers are …
Type V supernova event in Eta Carinae binary star
Eta Carinae is a stellar system in the Carina constellation containing at least two stars, one of which is a luminous blue variable star. Eta Carinae has the traditional names Tseen She and Foramen. Eta Carinae stellar system is nowdays one of the most massive that can be studied in great detail. Although is was thought to be the most …
Flame Nebula lights up Orion’s Belt
The Flame Nebula (NGC 2024) is an emission nebula in the Orion constellation. It lies east of Orion’s Belt and close to the famous Horsehead Nebula. So what lights up the Flame Nebula? The luminous star Alnitak (Zeta Orionis), the easternmost star in the Orion’s Belt visible to the nebula’s right, radiates energetic ultraviolet light into the Flame Nebula, …
MS 0735 galaxy cluster | A Big Bang old-timer
MS 0735 is a galaxy cluster, located in the Camelopardalis constellation. The image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys in February 2006 shows dozens of galaxies bound together by gravity. Using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers discovered a supermassive black hole in bright central galaxy of MS 0735, which generated the …
International Space Station orbits the Blue Planet
The International Space Station (ISS) is an internationally developed research facility that is being assembled in low Earth orbit. On-orbit construction of the station began in 1998 and is scheduled for completion by late 2011. The station is expected to remain in operation until at least 2015, and likely 2020. The ISS has a greater mass than …
Small Magellanic Cloud home for baby stars in NGC 602
NGC 602 is a young, open star cluster located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), which is a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way. Strong shock waves and radiation from the stars have pushed away most of the lighter surrounding gas and dust that compose the N90 nebula, triggering new star formation in the ridges (also called “elephant trunks”) of …
Space Shuttle Atlantis retired after 25 years of service
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is one of the three operational space shuttle orbiters of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) fleet. The spaceflight and space exploration agency of the United States also posseses other two space shuttles named Discovery and Endeavour. The Atlantis was constructed by the Rockwell International company located in southern California, and delivered in april 1985 to the John F. …