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Spiral galaxy of Sombrero M104 in the Virgin - The Sombrero galaxy (M104) in Virgo - Image of the spiral galaxy M104 (Sombrero galaxy), located about 28 million years ago - light. Image obtained with the 3.9m Anglo - Australian Telescope from Siding Spring. The Sombrero, named after the broad - brimmed Mexican hat it superficially resembles, is probably the most famous galaxy in the sky. The light from this remarkable spiral system is dominated by the billions of old, faint stars that form the vast 'bulge' around its tiny hidden nucleus. Most spirals, including the Milky Way, have clouds of old, faint stars around their nuclei, but in M104 the galaxy's light is dominated by them. This effect is enhanced because disk of the galaxy is seen nearly edge - on and dust in its outer parts is in silhouette as it crosses the picture. The galaxy is about 28 million light years distant

Spiral galaxy of Sombrero M104 in the Virgin - The Sombrero galaxy (M104) in Virgo - Image of the spiral galaxy M104 (Sombrero galaxy), located about 28 million years ago - light. Image obtained with the 3.9m Anglo - Australian Telescope from Siding Spring. The Sombrero, named after the broad - brimmed Mexican hat it superficially resembles, is probably the most famous galaxy in the sky. The light from this remarkable spiral system is dominated by the billions of old, faint stars that form the vast 'bulge' around its tiny hidden nucleus. Most spirals, including the Milky Way, have clouds of old, faint stars around their nuclei, but in M104 the galaxy's light is dominated by them. This effect is enhanced because disk of the galaxy is seen nearly edge - on and dust in its outer parts is in silhouette as it crosses the picture. The galaxy is about 28 million light years distant

PIX4611725

Irregular galaxy NGC 6822 in Sagittarius - Irregular galaxy NGC 6822 in Sagittarius - The galaxy NGC 6822 is located about 1.8 million years ago - light from Earth. She belongs to our local group. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 6822 is one of the nearest galaxies to the milky Way and is thus a member of a small cluster known as the Local Group to which our Galaxy belongs. It is close enough to be resolved into individual stars, though because of its distance (about 1.8 million light years) only the brightest are seen, even with a telescope as powerful as the AAT. The galaxy seems to be without symmetry and is classified as an irregular. At one end of a prominent bar a few clouds of glowing gas can be seen; at the other, bright bluish stars are scattered out into what appears to be the first signs of a straggling spiral arm

Irregular galaxy NGC 6822 in Sagittarius - Irregular galaxy NGC 6822 in Sagittarius - The galaxy NGC 6822 is located about 1.8 million years ago - light from Earth. She belongs to our local group. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 6822 is one of the nearest galaxies to the milky Way and is thus a member of a small cluster known as the Local Group to which our Galaxy belongs. It is close enough to be resolved into individual stars, though because of its distance (about 1.8 million light years) only the brightest are seen, even with a telescope as powerful as the AAT. The galaxy seems to be without symmetry and is classified as an irregular. At one end of a prominent bar a few clouds of glowing gas can be seen; at the other, bright bluish stars are scattered out into what appears to be the first signs of a straggling spiral arm

PIX4613017

Nebula of the Lagoon (M8) in Sagittarius - The Lagoon Nebula, M8, NGC 6523 - View of the Nebula of the Lagoon (M8/NGC 6523). Located in Sagittarius, at a distance of 6500 years - light, it extends over a diameter of 60 AL. Image made with the 1.2m Telescope of Schmidt UK from Siding Spring. The irregular distribution of light in this beautiful part of the sky is due mainly to clouds of dust that dim the light of vast clouds of stars that make Sagittarius one of the brightest parts of the Milky Way. The Lagoon nebula is an illuminated part of such a dark ('molecule') cloud and it reveals the dust as dark lanes and globules silhouetted against the luminous gas. Within the nebula is the scattered young star cluster NGC 6530, recently formed from this material, though the centre of star - forming activity has now shifted westwards from the cluster to the brightest part of the nebula, around the tiny Hourglass Nebula

Nebula of the Lagoon (M8) in Sagittarius - The Lagoon Nebula, M8, NGC 6523 - View of the Nebula of the Lagoon (M8/NGC 6523). Located in Sagittarius, at a distance of 6500 years - light, it extends over a diameter of 60 AL. Image made with the 1.2m Telescope of Schmidt UK from Siding Spring. The irregular distribution of light in this beautiful part of the sky is due mainly to clouds of dust that dim the light of vast clouds of stars that make Sagittarius one of the brightest parts of the Milky Way. The Lagoon nebula is an illuminated part of such a dark ('molecule') cloud and it reveals the dust as dark lanes and globules silhouetted against the luminous gas. Within the nebula is the scattered young star cluster NGC 6530, recently formed from this material, though the centre of star - forming activity has now shifted westwards from the cluster to the brightest part of the nebula, around the tiny Hourglass Nebula

PIX4619624

Planetary nebula NGC 2346 in Unicorn - The planetary nebula NGC 2346 - This nebula is located about 2000 years - light from Earth. A binary star resides in its center. Image obtained by the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring NGC 2346 is a fine bipolar planetary nebula which is on the celestial equator in the constellation of Monoceros. It is bright and conspicuous and has been extensively studied. Among its most remarkable characteristics is its unusually cool central star, which is a 'spectroscopic binary'. The two components are identified by the effect of their movement around each other on the lines of their spectrum. The double star, which has a period of about 16 days, is also variable, probably due to dust in orbit around it. The dust itself is heated by the central star and so NGC 2346 is unusually bright in the infrared part of the spectrum

Planetary nebula NGC 2346 in Unicorn - The planetary nebula NGC 2346 - This nebula is located about 2000 years - light from Earth. A binary star resides in its center. Image obtained by the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring NGC 2346 is a fine bipolar planetary nebula which is on the celestial equator in the constellation of Monoceros. It is bright and conspicuous and has been extensively studied. Among its most remarkable characteristics is its unusually cool central star, which is a 'spectroscopic binary'. The two components are identified by the effect of their movement around each other on the lines of their spectrum. The double star, which has a period of about 16 days, is also variable, probably due to dust in orbit around it. The dust itself is heated by the central star and so NGC 2346 is unusually bright in the infrared part of the spectrum

PIX4622952

Nebula of the cone NGC 2264 and S star Monocerotis - NGC 2264 and S Monocerotis - Region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The region around the 4.7 magnitude star S Mon is a fascinating mixture of red fluorescent hydrogen and dark, obscuring dust lanes. Some dust patches are close enough to bright stars to reflect light from them; these appear blue for the same reason that the day - time sky is blue - because some of the interstellar particles preferentially scatter blue light. Some of the wispy tendrils of nebulosity are Herbig - Haro objects, jets of matter ejected from newly - formed stars still hidden within the nebula. About 250 stars have been recognised as members of NGC 2264 which is at a distance of about 2700 light years

Nebula of the cone NGC 2264 and S star Monocerotis - NGC 2264 and S Monocerotis - Region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The region around the 4.7 magnitude star S Mon is a fascinating mixture of red fluorescent hydrogen and dark, obscuring dust lanes. Some dust patches are close enough to bright stars to reflect light from them; these appear blue for the same reason that the day - time sky is blue - because some of the interstellar particles preferentially scatter blue light. Some of the wispy tendrils of nebulosity are Herbig - Haro objects, jets of matter ejected from newly - formed stars still hidden within the nebula. About 250 stars have been recognised as members of NGC 2264 which is at a distance of about 2700 light years

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Orion's Nebula - The Great Nebula in Orion - Located 1500 years ago - light, Orion's Nebula is the closest region of star formation in the Sun. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. To the eye, the nebula appears as a misty patch around the central star of the line of three which form Orion's sword. Binoculars or a modest telescope will show that these three 'stars' are loose groups of several individuals some of which can be seen in this photograph. The central group of stars, the Trapezium cluster is hidden in the glow of the Orion Nebula in this photograph, but these stars are responsible for producing the nebula. It is the high concentration of dust and gas in this part of the sky which has resulted in the formation of the stars, so the Orion nebula is no random association of bright stars and dusty gas. At a distance of 1500 light years, the Orion nebula is the nearest star - forming region to the Sun

Orion's Nebula - The Great Nebula in Orion - Located 1500 years ago - light, Orion's Nebula is the closest region of star formation in the Sun. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. To the eye, the nebula appears as a misty patch around the central star of the line of three which form Orion's sword. Binoculars or a modest telescope will show that these three 'stars' are loose groups of several individuals some of which can be seen in this photograph. The central group of stars, the Trapezium cluster is hidden in the glow of the Orion Nebula in this photograph, but these stars are responsible for producing the nebula. It is the high concentration of dust and gas in this part of the sky which has resulted in the formation of the stars, so the Orion nebula is no random association of bright stars and dusty gas. At a distance of 1500 light years, the Orion nebula is the nearest star - forming region to the Sun

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Spiral galaxy M100 in Berenice's Hair - Spiral galaxy M100 in Coma Berenices - The spiral galaxy M100 (NGC 4321) is located about 60 million years ago - light from Earth. It belongs to the Virgin's galaxy cluster. Above the galaxy a dwarf elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This dominant galaxy is the face - on spiral M100, one of the finest spirals in the Virgo cluster. As might be expected in a galaxy - rich environment, the lack of perfect symmetry in its brightest spiral arms suggests that M100 has been disturbed by gravitational interaction with its neighbours. At the top of the image is the first colour picture of a much less spectacular galaxy, a so - called 'nucleated dwarf' elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. Dwarf galaxies are by far the commonest kind in rich clusters such as this, but nucleated examples are quite rare

Spiral galaxy M100 in Berenice's Hair - Spiral galaxy M100 in Coma Berenices - The spiral galaxy M100 (NGC 4321) is located about 60 million years ago - light from Earth. It belongs to the Virgin's galaxy cluster. Above the galaxy a dwarf elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This dominant galaxy is the face - on spiral M100, one of the finest spirals in the Virgo cluster. As might be expected in a galaxy - rich environment, the lack of perfect symmetry in its brightest spiral arms suggests that M100 has been disturbed by gravitational interaction with its neighbours. At the top of the image is the first colour picture of a much less spectacular galaxy, a so - called 'nucleated dwarf' elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. Dwarf galaxies are by far the commonest kind in rich clusters such as this, but nucleated examples are quite rare

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Irregular Galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud (NGC 292) - The Small Magellanic Cloud - The galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud is about 240,000 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Toucan. It's one of the closest galaxies of the Lactee Way. Upstairs, the cluster of stars NGC 362. Image obtained by the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescope from Siding Spring, Australia. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the second nearest galaxy to the Milky Way, (the LMC being the nearest) and is at the distance of about 240,000 light years, quite close enough for it to be resolved into individual stars on this colour picture made from plates taken on the UK Schmidt Telescope. The shape of the SMC defies description and it is therefore classified as an 'irregular' galaxy. The small globular cluster at the top of the picture is NGC 362. It is about 30,000 light years distant

Irregular Galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud (NGC 292) - The Small Magellanic Cloud - The galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud is about 240,000 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Toucan. It's one of the closest galaxies of the Lactee Way. Upstairs, the cluster of stars NGC 362. Image obtained by the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescope from Siding Spring, Australia. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the second nearest galaxy to the Milky Way, (the LMC being the nearest) and is at the distance of about 240,000 light years, quite close enough for it to be resolved into individual stars on this colour picture made from plates taken on the UK Schmidt Telescope. The shape of the SMC defies description and it is therefore classified as an 'irregular' galaxy. The small globular cluster at the top of the picture is NGC 362. It is about 30,000 light years distant

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Halley Comete - Halley's Comet on December 9, 1985 - Halley Comete December 9, 1985

Halley Comete - Halley's Comet on December 9, 1985 - Halley Comete December 9, 1985

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Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Unicorn - Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Monoceros - Trumpler 5 is a cluster of stars aged 125 million years. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope As they age, open clusters of stars begin to lose their identity. This is partly because the brighter members tend to self - destruct as supernovae, and, though the group members share a common motion through space, they are only loosely bound. Thus stars drift away from the cluster in a process that accelerates with time. However, some clusters are big enough to retain their identity much longer than usual, and Trumpler 5 is one such. Its age is estimated to be 125 million years, and it must have been a spectacular sight in its youth. It seems to be at the edge of the Monoceros molecular cloud, where star formation is continuing new generations of young clusters

Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Unicorn - Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Monoceros - Trumpler 5 is a cluster of stars aged 125 million years. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope As they age, open clusters of stars begin to lose their identity. This is partly because the brighter members tend to self - destruct as supernovae, and, though the group members share a common motion through space, they are only loosely bound. Thus stars drift away from the cluster in a process that accelerates with time. However, some clusters are big enough to retain their identity much longer than usual, and Trumpler 5 is one such. Its age is estimated to be 125 million years, and it must have been a spectacular sight in its youth. It seems to be at the edge of the Monoceros molecular cloud, where star formation is continuing new generations of young clusters

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Nebula of the cone NGC 2264 and S star Monocerotis - NGC 2264 and S Monocerotis - Region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The region around the 4.7 magnitude star S Mon is a fascinating mixture of red fluorescent hydrogen and dark, obscuring dust lanes. Some dust patches are close enough to bright stars to reflect light from them; these appear blue for the same reason that the day - time sky is blue - because some of the interstellar particles preferentially scatter blue light. Some of the wispy tendrils of nebulosity are Herbig - Haro objects, jets of matter ejected from newly - formed stars still hidden within the nebula. About 250 stars have been recognised as members of NGC 2264 which is at a distance of about 2700 light years

Nebula of the cone NGC 2264 and S star Monocerotis - NGC 2264 and S Monocerotis - Region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The region around the 4.7 magnitude star S Mon is a fascinating mixture of red fluorescent hydrogen and dark, obscuring dust lanes. Some dust patches are close enough to bright stars to reflect light from them; these appear blue for the same reason that the day - time sky is blue - because some of the interstellar particles preferentially scatter blue light. Some of the wispy tendrils of nebulosity are Herbig - Haro objects, jets of matter ejected from newly - formed stars still hidden within the nebula. About 250 stars have been recognised as members of NGC 2264 which is at a distance of about 2700 light years

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The Rosette Nebula in the Unicorn - The Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 cluster - The Rosette Nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas located about 5500 years from Earth. Towards the center of the nebula, a cluster of blue stars, NGC 2244 formed less than a million years ago. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. In the hollowed - out centre of the Rosette nebula lies NGC 2244, the cluster of young stars recently formed there. The cluster has itself created the cavity, radiation pressure and stellar winds from the stars blowing the gas and dust away from the young cluster. The hottest (and brightest) members of the group are seen as distinctly blue on this photograph, a colour corresponding to a surface temperature around 20,000K which may be compared with the Sun's 5500K. The nebula and its cluster is at a distance of about 4500 light years and shows many streaks and globules of dust, remnants of the cloud from which the stars formed

The Rosette Nebula in the Unicorn - The Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 cluster - The Rosette Nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas located about 5500 years from Earth. Towards the center of the nebula, a cluster of blue stars, NGC 2244 formed less than a million years ago. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. In the hollowed - out centre of the Rosette nebula lies NGC 2244, the cluster of young stars recently formed there. The cluster has itself created the cavity, radiation pressure and stellar winds from the stars blowing the gas and dust away from the young cluster. The hottest (and brightest) members of the group are seen as distinctly blue on this photograph, a colour corresponding to a surface temperature around 20,000K which may be compared with the Sun's 5500K. The nebula and its cluster is at a distance of about 4500 light years and shows many streaks and globules of dust, remnants of the cloud from which the stars formed

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Nebula NGC 6164 - 5 in the Rule - The field around NGC 6164 - 65 - This nebula is located about 4000 years from Earth. It's a bipolar nebula around a hot O star at the end of life. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Very hot, massive stars lose substantial amounts of matter from their surfaces during much of their brief lives. Mass - loss is usually a fairly steady process but some stars occasionally develop instabilities and have major outbursts. This star has thrown off at least two distinct lots of material during its lifetime, the brightest and most recent being the bright lobes of NGC 6164 - 5 at the centre of the picture while a much fainter rim of nebulosity can be seen at a considerable distance from the central star, indicating an earlier episode of violent ejection. The nebula is at a distance of about 4200 light years

Nebula NGC 6164 - 5 in the Rule - The field around NGC 6164 - 65 - This nebula is located about 4000 years from Earth. It's a bipolar nebula around a hot O star at the end of life. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Very hot, massive stars lose substantial amounts of matter from their surfaces during much of their brief lives. Mass - loss is usually a fairly steady process but some stars occasionally develop instabilities and have major outbursts. This star has thrown off at least two distinct lots of material during its lifetime, the brightest and most recent being the bright lobes of NGC 6164 - 5 at the centre of the picture while a much fainter rim of nebulosity can be seen at a considerable distance from the central star, indicating an earlier episode of violent ejection. The nebula is at a distance of about 4200 light years

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Spiral Galaxy NGC 253 in Sculptor - Spiral galaxy NGC 253 in Sculptor - NGC 253 is the brightest galaxy of the Sculptor's group, the closest galaxy group to the Local Group. It is about 10 million light years away. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope in 1975. A mere 10 million light years away, NGC 253 is one of the nearest spiral galaxies, a member of a small group straggling across the southern constellation of Sculptor. It appears elongated because we see it almost edge - on. This galaxy is also one of the dustiest galaxies known and much of its internal detail is hidden by obscuring matter which can be seen as dark patches against the background stars. Despite the obscuration, two spiral arms and many bluish clusters of stars can be seen around the edge of the galaxy. NGC 253 is so close to us that some of the brightest stars are apparent as individuals within the spiral arms

Spiral Galaxy NGC 253 in Sculptor - Spiral galaxy NGC 253 in Sculptor - NGC 253 is the brightest galaxy of the Sculptor's group, the closest galaxy group to the Local Group. It is about 10 million light years away. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope in 1975. A mere 10 million light years away, NGC 253 is one of the nearest spiral galaxies, a member of a small group straggling across the southern constellation of Sculptor. It appears elongated because we see it almost edge - on. This galaxy is also one of the dustiest galaxies known and much of its internal detail is hidden by obscuring matter which can be seen as dark patches against the background stars. Despite the obscuration, two spiral arms and many bluish clusters of stars can be seen around the edge of the galaxy. NGC 253 is so close to us that some of the brightest stars are apparent as individuals within the spiral arms

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Remains of supernova des Voiles - detail - Pencil nebula - NGC 2736, the Pencil nebula in Vela - Detail of the rest of the supernova des Voiles: the nebula of the pencil (NGC 2736). The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago. The rest of the supernova is approximately 815 years away from Earth. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This is an outlying wisp of the Vela supernova remnant (SNR), almost the only sign of the eastern part of this vast bubble of expanding shock wave from a stellar explosion 12,000 years ago. Although clearly detected with radio and X - ray telescopes, the Vela SNR is partially hidden to optical observers. Many fine, tangled filaments are seen in the western part of the nebula, but in the east, most of it is hidden in dust. This is one of the brighter eastern fragments, and its unusual linear appearance in the telescope was remarked on by Sir John Herschel who discovered to nebula in the 1840s. This spindly shape is the source of its popular name

Remains of supernova des Voiles - detail - Pencil nebula - NGC 2736, the Pencil nebula in Vela - Detail of the rest of the supernova des Voiles: the nebula of the pencil (NGC 2736). The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago. The rest of the supernova is approximately 815 years away from Earth. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This is an outlying wisp of the Vela supernova remnant (SNR), almost the only sign of the eastern part of this vast bubble of expanding shock wave from a stellar explosion 12,000 years ago. Although clearly detected with radio and X - ray telescopes, the Vela SNR is partially hidden to optical observers. Many fine, tangled filaments are seen in the western part of the nebula, but in the east, most of it is hidden in dust. This is one of the brighter eastern fragments, and its unusual linear appearance in the telescope was remarked on by Sir John Herschel who discovered to nebula in the 1840s. This spindly shape is the source of its popular name

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Centaurus A elliptical galaxy (NGC 5128) in the Centaurus - Galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) - The galaxy NGC 5128 is located about 13 million years away from Earth. This Giant Galaxy is a powerful radio source known as Centaurus A. It is an active galaxy whose energy comes from a supermassive black hole. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. Centaurus A is a most unusual galaxy. The circular, uniformly bright portion is composed of several thousand million stars, most of them old and yellowish. The galaxy is girded by a dense dust lane which obscures and reddens the light of stars behind it. Some younger, blue stars can be seen at the edges of the dust cloud. One of the nearer galaxies, 13 million light years away, Centaurus A is the most powerful nearby radio source and is also a copious source of X - and gamma rays as well as visible and infrared radiation

Centaurus A elliptical galaxy (NGC 5128) in the Centaurus - Galaxy Centaurus A (NGC 5128) - The galaxy NGC 5128 is located about 13 million years away from Earth. This Giant Galaxy is a powerful radio source known as Centaurus A. It is an active galaxy whose energy comes from a supermassive black hole. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. Centaurus A is a most unusual galaxy. The circular, uniformly bright portion is composed of several thousand million stars, most of them old and yellowish. The galaxy is girded by a dense dust lane which obscures and reddens the light of stars behind it. Some younger, blue stars can be seen at the edges of the dust cloud. One of the nearer galaxies, 13 million light years away, Centaurus A is the most powerful nearby radio source and is also a copious source of X - and gamma rays as well as visible and infrared radiation

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Globular cluster Hodge 11 - Globular cluster Hodge 11 - This cluster of stars is located about 160,000 years ago - light in the Big Magellan Cloud

Globular cluster Hodge 11 - Globular cluster Hodge 11 - This cluster of stars is located about 160,000 years ago - light in the Big Magellan Cloud

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Central part of the galaxy cluster of the Virgin - The Virgo cluster. Detail - Part of the galaxy cluster of the Virgin centree on the elliptical galaxies M84 and M86

Central part of the galaxy cluster of the Virgin - The Virgo cluster. Detail - Part of the galaxy cluster of the Virgin centree on the elliptical galaxies M84 and M86

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Nebula around the star R Aquarii - R Aquarii and its peculiar nebula - This star is actually a binary system composed of a giant red star (in the center) and a white dwarf (invisible in this photo). Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The star at the centre of this unique nebula has been known to be variable since 1810. It has a period of a little over a year, but the brightness shifts are erratic, ranging from the threshold of naked eye visibility to about 200 times fainter. At the centre of the nebula is a symbiotic star, an interacting pair consisting of a red giant and white dwarf. The dwarf draws in material from the giant, occasionally ejecting the surplus as the strange loops seen in the colour picture. The white dwarf itself is invisible and the light from the red dwarf is truly red, perhaps because the whole system is embedded in very dusty nebula which absorbs what blue light there is

Nebula around the star R Aquarii - R Aquarii and its peculiar nebula - This star is actually a binary system composed of a giant red star (in the center) and a white dwarf (invisible in this photo). Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The star at the centre of this unique nebula has been known to be variable since 1810. It has a period of a little over a year, but the brightness shifts are erratic, ranging from the threshold of naked eye visibility to about 200 times fainter. At the centre of the nebula is a symbiotic star, an interacting pair consisting of a red giant and white dwarf. The dwarf draws in material from the giant, occasionally ejecting the surplus as the strange loops seen in the colour picture. The white dwarf itself is invisible and the light from the red dwarf is truly red, perhaps because the whole system is embedded in very dusty nebula which absorbs what blue light there is

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Globular cluster NGC 6522 in Sagittarius - Globular cluster NGC 6522 in Sagittarius - This cluster of stars is located about 25,000 years - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

Globular cluster NGC 6522 in Sagittarius - Globular cluster NGC 6522 in Sagittarius - This cluster of stars is located about 25,000 years - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

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Around Baade's window - Around Baade's window - Stars field to the center of our galaxy. The bright star at the bottom of the image is Gamma of Sagittarius. The globular cluster in the center of the image is NGC 6522. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. The German - American astronomer Walter Baade selected for study a region of the crowded star fields in Sagittarius where he believed the Galactic dust obscuration was both uniform and minimal. He used this line of sight to establish the distance of the unseen Galactic centre, using variable stars as his yardstick. He found it to be about 30,000 light years away. This part of the sky, around the globular cluster NGC 6522, is now known as Baade's window. The brightest star in the photograph is gamma Sagittarii, a deep yellow, naked eye star of about third magnitude. It is in the foreground at a distance of about 100 light years

Around Baade's window - Around Baade's window - Stars field to the center of our galaxy. The bright star at the bottom of the image is Gamma of Sagittarius. The globular cluster in the center of the image is NGC 6522. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. The German - American astronomer Walter Baade selected for study a region of the crowded star fields in Sagittarius where he believed the Galactic dust obscuration was both uniform and minimal. He used this line of sight to establish the distance of the unseen Galactic centre, using variable stars as his yardstick. He found it to be about 30,000 light years away. This part of the sky, around the globular cluster NGC 6522, is now known as Baade's window. The brightest star in the photograph is gamma Sagittarii, a deep yellow, naked eye star of about third magnitude. It is in the foreground at a distance of about 100 light years

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Remnants of the Supernova of Sails - Part of the Vela Supernova Remnant - Rest of the Supernova of Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago and is approximately 815 light years away from Earth. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. About 120 centuries ago an inconspicuous star in what is now the constellation of Vela brightened by about 100 million times to rival the Moon as the brightest object in the night sky. This photograph shows a portion of the north - western quadrant of an expanding nebulous shell, which now surrounds the site of the explosion. Near the centre of the nebula (and not seen here) is the Vela pulsar, a rapidly - spinning neutron star only a few kilometres in diameter, the remnant of the star that exploded. This tiny object spins about 11 times a second and until recently was among the faintest stars ever studied at optical wavelengths, a far cry from its brief glory as one of the brightest stars ever seen

Remnants of the Supernova of Sails - Part of the Vela Supernova Remnant - Rest of the Supernova of Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago and is approximately 815 light years away from Earth. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. About 120 centuries ago an inconspicuous star in what is now the constellation of Vela brightened by about 100 million times to rival the Moon as the brightest object in the night sky. This photograph shows a portion of the north - western quadrant of an expanding nebulous shell, which now surrounds the site of the explosion. Near the centre of the nebula (and not seen here) is the Vela pulsar, a rapidly - spinning neutron star only a few kilometres in diameter, the remnant of the star that exploded. This tiny object spins about 11 times a second and until recently was among the faintest stars ever studied at optical wavelengths, a far cry from its brief glory as one of the brightest stars ever seen

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Orion Nebula - the trapeze - The Trapezium region in M42 - Located 1500 years - light, Orion Nebula is the closest region of formation of stars of the Sun. In the center of the picture, the Trapeze of Orion. The Trapeze is among the youngest known open clusters, it is made up of 4 massive stars that make the nebula shine. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The central 'star' of the three groups forming the asterism of Orion's sword is in reality a nebula, and is clearly nebulous to the unaided eye. At the heart of the most luminous nebulosity shimmer a handful of stars known as the Trapezium cluster, visible in binoculars. These are the brightest members of a substantial cluster of stars, most of which are still hidden in the dusty recesses of the Orion nebula against which they are seen. The stars of the Trapezium provide much of the energy which makes the brilliant Orion Nebula visible and are at a distance of about 1500 light years. This image was made at the prime

Orion Nebula - the trapeze - The Trapezium region in M42 - Located 1500 years - light, Orion Nebula is the closest region of formation of stars of the Sun. In the center of the picture, the Trapeze of Orion. The Trapeze is among the youngest known open clusters, it is made up of 4 massive stars that make the nebula shine. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The central 'star' of the three groups forming the asterism of Orion's sword is in reality a nebula, and is clearly nebulous to the unaided eye. At the heart of the most luminous nebulosity shimmer a handful of stars known as the Trapezium cluster, visible in binoculars. These are the brightest members of a substantial cluster of stars, most of which are still hidden in the dusty recesses of the Orion nebula against which they are seen. The stars of the Trapezium provide much of the energy which makes the brilliant Orion Nebula visible and are at a distance of about 1500 light years. This image was made at the prime

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Spiral Galaxy M83 in Hydra - Spiral galaxy M83 in Hydra - The galaxy M83 (NGC 5236) is located about 15 million years away from Earth. This galaxy is intermediate between a classic spiral and a barree spiral. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. M83 is thought to be very like our own Galaxy, the Milky Way, but seen from above one of its poles and at a distance of about 15 million light years. Composed of billions of stars and huge clouds of dust and gas, this object is one of the finest examples of a spiral galaxy and shows a concentration of older, yellow stars in its central nucleus with younger, blue stars and patchy red clouds of glowing gas and dark dust lanes in the trailing spiral arms. The massive blue stars occasionally explode as supernovae; at least eight have been seen in Messier 83 in the last 70 years

Spiral Galaxy M83 in Hydra - Spiral galaxy M83 in Hydra - The galaxy M83 (NGC 5236) is located about 15 million years away from Earth. This galaxy is intermediate between a classic spiral and a barree spiral. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. M83 is thought to be very like our own Galaxy, the Milky Way, but seen from above one of its poles and at a distance of about 15 million light years. Composed of billions of stars and huge clouds of dust and gas, this object is one of the finest examples of a spiral galaxy and shows a concentration of older, yellow stars in its central nucleus with younger, blue stars and patchy red clouds of glowing gas and dark dust lanes in the trailing spiral arms. The massive blue stars occasionally explode as supernovae; at least eight have been seen in Messier 83 in the last 70 years

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Spiral Galaxy M83 in Hydra - Spiral galaxy M83 in Hydra - The galaxy M83 (NGC 5236) is located about 15 million years away from Earth. This galaxy is intermediate between a classic spiral and a barree spiral. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. M83 is thought to be very like our own Galaxy, the Milky Way, but seen from above one of its poles and at a distance of about 15 million light years. Composed of billions of stars and huge clouds of dust and gas, this object is one of the finest examples of a spiral galaxy and shows a concentration of older, yellow stars in its central nucleus with younger, blue stars and patchy red clouds of glowing gas and dark dust lanes in the trailing spiral arms. The massive blue stars occasionally explode as supernovae; at least eight have been seen in Messier 83 in the last 70 years

Spiral Galaxy M83 in Hydra - Spiral galaxy M83 in Hydra - The galaxy M83 (NGC 5236) is located about 15 million years away from Earth. This galaxy is intermediate between a classic spiral and a barree spiral. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. M83 is thought to be very like our own Galaxy, the Milky Way, but seen from above one of its poles and at a distance of about 15 million light years. Composed of billions of stars and huge clouds of dust and gas, this object is one of the finest examples of a spiral galaxy and shows a concentration of older, yellow stars in its central nucleus with younger, blue stars and patchy red clouds of glowing gas and dark dust lanes in the trailing spiral arms. The massive blue stars occasionally explode as supernovae; at least eight have been seen in Messier 83 in the last 70 years

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Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor - Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in Sculptor - Located about 7 million years ago - light from Earth, the spiral galaxy NGC 300 belongs to the Sculptor's group. It appears to us as a great object in the sky since its apparent diameter is almost that of the full moon

Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor - Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in Sculptor - Located about 7 million years ago - light from Earth, the spiral galaxy NGC 300 belongs to the Sculptor's group. It appears to us as a great object in the sky since its apparent diameter is almost that of the full moon

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Galaxy NGC 4027 in the Raven - Galaxy NGC 4027 in Corvus - NGC 4027 is a spiral galaxy located about 80 million years ago - light. The photo shows some nearby dwarf galaxies. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This galaxy is of interest because of its similarity to the Large Magellanic Cloud, (LMC) our nearest extra - galactic neighbour. Like the LMC, its light comes predominantly from young stars, which are hotter than the Sun and give the galaxy a bluish colour. However, because this galaxy is over 80 million light - years distant we see only the integrated light of millions of unresolved stars, rather than the individuals we see in the LMC. NGC 4027 has a somewhat distorted appearance and an elongated spiral arm, probably due to the gravitational effect of a smaller companion galaxy, not visible in this photograph but rather obvious on a much deeper image. NGC 4027 is less than half a degree south of the Antennae interacting galaxies

Galaxy NGC 4027 in the Raven - Galaxy NGC 4027 in Corvus - NGC 4027 is a spiral galaxy located about 80 million years ago - light. The photo shows some nearby dwarf galaxies. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This galaxy is of interest because of its similarity to the Large Magellanic Cloud, (LMC) our nearest extra - galactic neighbour. Like the LMC, its light comes predominantly from young stars, which are hotter than the Sun and give the galaxy a bluish colour. However, because this galaxy is over 80 million light - years distant we see only the integrated light of millions of unresolved stars, rather than the individuals we see in the LMC. NGC 4027 has a somewhat distorted appearance and an elongated spiral arm, probably due to the gravitational effect of a smaller companion galaxy, not visible in this photograph but rather obvious on a much deeper image. NGC 4027 is less than half a degree south of the Antennae interacting galaxies

PIX4611058

Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor - Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in Sculptor - Located about 7 million years ago - light from Earth, the spiral galaxy NGC 300 belongs to the Sculptor's group. It appears to us as a great object in the sky since its apparent diameter is almost that of the full moon

Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor - Spiral galaxy NGC 300 in Sculptor - Located about 7 million years ago - light from Earth, the spiral galaxy NGC 300 belongs to the Sculptor's group. It appears to us as a great object in the sky since its apparent diameter is almost that of the full moon

PIX4609175

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window, around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window, around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

PIX4564844

Remnants of the Supernova of Sails - The Vela Supernova Remnant - Remnant of the Supernova of Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago and is approximately 815 light years away from Earth. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. About 120 centuries ago an inconspicuous star in what is now the constellation of Vela brightened by about 100 million times to rival the Moon as the brightest object in the night sky. This photograph shows a portion of the north - western quadrant of an expanding nebulous shell, which now surrounds the site of the explosion. Near the centre of the nebula (and not seen here) is the Vela pulsar, a rapidly - spinning neutron star only a few kilometres in diameter, the remnant of the star that exploded. This tiny object spins about 11 times a second and until recently was among the faintest stars ever studied at optical wavelengths, a far cry from its brief glory as one of the brightest stars ever seen

Remnants of the Supernova of Sails - The Vela Supernova Remnant - Remnant of the Supernova of Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago and is approximately 815 light years away from Earth. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. About 120 centuries ago an inconspicuous star in what is now the constellation of Vela brightened by about 100 million times to rival the Moon as the brightest object in the night sky. This photograph shows a portion of the north - western quadrant of an expanding nebulous shell, which now surrounds the site of the explosion. Near the centre of the nebula (and not seen here) is the Vela pulsar, a rapidly - spinning neutron star only a few kilometres in diameter, the remnant of the star that exploded. This tiny object spins about 11 times a second and until recently was among the faintest stars ever studied at optical wavelengths, a far cry from its brief glory as one of the brightest stars ever seen

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Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. This picture was made without unsharp masking. Unsharp masking emphasises the smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell, which are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance). These radial streaks give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. This picture was made without unsharp masking. Unsharp masking emphasises the smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell, which are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance). These radial streaks give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

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Planetary Nebula of the Red Rectangle in the Unicorn - The Red Rectangle, AFGL 915 - This planetary nebula is located about 2300 years ago - light. Image from Siding Spring 3.9m Telescope This surprising object is one of an unusual class of nebulae surrounding mature, sun - like stars that are about to turn into planetary nebulae. Not all pre - planetary nebulae have outbursts like this, and in those that do, the nebula lasts only a few thousand years, hence the rarity. The central star has a thick belt of dust like a girdle around its equator which restricts outflow in that direction. Instead, the star ejects material in a kind of cone from each of its poles. The spectrum of the nebula shows unusual, strong red lines from hydrogen bonded to grains of carbon, however there is sufficient light reflected from the embedded star to dilute the strong red spectrum to the deep yellow we see here

Planetary Nebula of the Red Rectangle in the Unicorn - The Red Rectangle, AFGL 915 - This planetary nebula is located about 2300 years ago - light. Image from Siding Spring 3.9m Telescope This surprising object is one of an unusual class of nebulae surrounding mature, sun - like stars that are about to turn into planetary nebulae. Not all pre - planetary nebulae have outbursts like this, and in those that do, the nebula lasts only a few thousand years, hence the rarity. The central star has a thick belt of dust like a girdle around its equator which restricts outflow in that direction. Instead, the star ejects material in a kind of cone from each of its poles. The spectrum of the nebula shows unusual, strong red lines from hydrogen bonded to grains of carbon, however there is sufficient light reflected from the embedded star to dilute the strong red spectrum to the deep yellow we see here

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Orion Nebula - the trapeze - The Trapezium region in M42 - Located 1500 years - light, Orion Nebula is the closest region of formation of stars of the Sun. In the center of the picture, the Trapeze of Orion. The Trapeze is among the youngest known open clusters, it is made up of 4 massive stars that make the nebula shine. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The central 'star' of the three groups forming the asterism of Orion's sword is in reality a nebula, and is clearly nebulous to the unaided eye. At the heart of the most luminous nebulosity shimmer a handful of stars known as the Trapezium cluster, visible in binoculars. These are the brightest members of a substantial cluster of stars, most of which are still hidden in the dusty recesses of the Orion nebula against which they are seen. The stars of the Trapezium provide much of the energy which makes the brilliant Orion Nebula visible and are at a distance of about 1500 light years. This image was made at the prime

Orion Nebula - the trapeze - The Trapezium region in M42 - Located 1500 years - light, Orion Nebula is the closest region of formation of stars of the Sun. In the center of the picture, the Trapeze of Orion. The Trapeze is among the youngest known open clusters, it is made up of 4 massive stars that make the nebula shine. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The central 'star' of the three groups forming the asterism of Orion's sword is in reality a nebula, and is clearly nebulous to the unaided eye. At the heart of the most luminous nebulosity shimmer a handful of stars known as the Trapezium cluster, visible in binoculars. These are the brightest members of a substantial cluster of stars, most of which are still hidden in the dusty recesses of the Orion nebula against which they are seen. The stars of the Trapezium provide much of the energy which makes the brilliant Orion Nebula visible and are at a distance of about 1500 light years. This image was made at the prime

PIX4617856

Nebula NGC 2359 in the Big Dog - A Wolf - Rayet star in NGC 2359 - NGC 2359 is a nebula in the Big Dog that houses a star Wolf - Rayet, HD 56925. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 2359 is the nebula produced by a single, extremely hot star HD 56925. This is one of the rare Wolf - Rayet stars, whose intrinsic brilliance is combined with high rates of mass loss from its surface. This material is ejected from the star with velocities which approach 2000 kilometers per second. This violent activity quickly reduces the mass of the star which in turn reduces the instability. The rapidly - moving ejected material interacts with the gas and dust around the star producing the cosmic bubble seen here. Such stars are unusual, largely because extreme behaviour of this kind cannot be sustained for long. This particular example is spectacular because it happens to inhabit a part of our Galaxy rich in interstellar gas

Nebula NGC 2359 in the Big Dog - A Wolf - Rayet star in NGC 2359 - NGC 2359 is a nebula in the Big Dog that houses a star Wolf - Rayet, HD 56925. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 2359 is the nebula produced by a single, extremely hot star HD 56925. This is one of the rare Wolf - Rayet stars, whose intrinsic brilliance is combined with high rates of mass loss from its surface. This material is ejected from the star with velocities which approach 2000 kilometers per second. This violent activity quickly reduces the mass of the star which in turn reduces the instability. The rapidly - moving ejected material interacts with the gas and dust around the star producing the cosmic bubble seen here. Such stars are unusual, largely because extreme behaviour of this kind cannot be sustained for long. This particular example is spectacular because it happens to inhabit a part of our Galaxy rich in interstellar gas

PIX4618821

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - Barred spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - The barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is located about 13 million years away - light from Earth. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This is one of many peculiar galaxies that populate the large southern constellation of Centaurus. This remarkable spiral galaxy seen almost edge - on, and the spiral structure is chaotic and difficult to discern. In part this is because the galaxy is itself extremely dusty, and it is seen through dust in the Milky Way. These effects together account for its yellowish hue, though patches of bluish stars can be seen. The dust in NGC 4945 absorbs most of the visible light, especially the blue light from the numerous bright stars known present within the galaxy. This energy is re - radiated at infrared wavelengths, which penetrate dust more readily, which is why the galaxy is found to be unusually bright in the infrared

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - Barred spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - The barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is located about 13 million years away - light from Earth. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This is one of many peculiar galaxies that populate the large southern constellation of Centaurus. This remarkable spiral galaxy seen almost edge - on, and the spiral structure is chaotic and difficult to discern. In part this is because the galaxy is itself extremely dusty, and it is seen through dust in the Milky Way. These effects together account for its yellowish hue, though patches of bluish stars can be seen. The dust in NGC 4945 absorbs most of the visible light, especially the blue light from the numerous bright stars known present within the galaxy. This energy is re - radiated at infrared wavelengths, which penetrate dust more readily, which is why the galaxy is found to be unusually bright in the infrared

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Remains of the supernova of the Sails - Detail - Vela supernova remnant. Detail - Detail of the rest of the supernova of the Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago. The line that crosses the image is the trace left by the passage of a satellite during the photo shoot. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. A supernova event marks the catastrophic end - point in the life of a massive star. The self - destruction of the star releases a huge amount of energy as radiation of all kinds, but a substantial fraction of the force of the explosion blasts the outer part of the supernova into an expanding shell of matter that travels through the almost empty space between the stars. As the rapidly moving blast wave encounters the relatively stationary interstellar medium it creates a very narrow, luminous shock front that appears as a faint nebula. Because the shock front is very convoluted the nebulosity appears to be highly structured and the various colours define different

Remains of the supernova of the Sails - Detail - Vela supernova remnant. Detail - Detail of the rest of the supernova of the Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago. The line that crosses the image is the trace left by the passage of a satellite during the photo shoot. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. A supernova event marks the catastrophic end - point in the life of a massive star. The self - destruction of the star releases a huge amount of energy as radiation of all kinds, but a substantial fraction of the force of the explosion blasts the outer part of the supernova into an expanding shell of matter that travels through the almost empty space between the stars. As the rapidly moving blast wave encounters the relatively stationary interstellar medium it creates a very narrow, luminous shock front that appears as a faint nebula. Because the shock front is very convoluted the nebulosity appears to be highly structured and the various colours define different

PIX4582923

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 1365 in the Furnace - Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 in Fornax - NGC 1365 is a barree spiral galaxy that extends over 200,000 years - light. Located 60 million years ago - light, it belongs to the cluster of galaxies of the Furnace. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 1365, the largest spiral in the southern constellation of Fornax, is located at a distance of about 60 million light years. This beautiful galaxy is about as massive as the Milky Way, itself a substantial galaxy. Not much is known about how galaxies take on their beautiful forms, but a good deal is known about their internal organisation. The obvious 'bar' has the nucleus of the galaxy at its hub and is surrounded by masses of cooler stars that appear yellow on colour photographs. The bar itself is also yellowish, and has distinct dust lanes but it terminates abruptly in slender, curved arms that are lit by blue stars and the pink star - forming regions from which they spring

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 1365 in the Furnace - Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 in Fornax - NGC 1365 is a barree spiral galaxy that extends over 200,000 years - light. Located 60 million years ago - light, it belongs to the cluster of galaxies of the Furnace. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 1365, the largest spiral in the southern constellation of Fornax, is located at a distance of about 60 million light years. This beautiful galaxy is about as massive as the Milky Way, itself a substantial galaxy. Not much is known about how galaxies take on their beautiful forms, but a good deal is known about their internal organisation. The obvious 'bar' has the nucleus of the galaxy at its hub and is surrounded by masses of cooler stars that appear yellow on colour photographs. The bar itself is also yellowish, and has distinct dust lanes but it terminates abruptly in slender, curved arms that are lit by blue stars and the pink star - forming regions from which they spring

PIX4609870

Nebulae IC 1283 - 84 and NGC 6589 - 90 in Sagittarius - Nebulosity in Sagittarius, NGC 6589 - 90 - These nebulae are located in Sagittarius at a distance of about 5900 light years from Earth. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Our view towards the centre of the Galaxy is obscured by extensive clouds of interstellar dust in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius. The large - scale, patchy nature of the obscuration can be seen with the unaided eye and it is evident on smaller scales from the uneven distribution of background stars across this picture. Light from bright stars within the dust produces the two blue reflection nebulae (NGC 6589 and 6590), and these stars are members of a loose open cluster of stars, NGC 6595 (Sharpless 37) which is at a distance of about 5,900 light years. A large, almost transparent cloud of hydrogen, mixed with traces of dust, glows with a characteristic magenta hue over most of the field of view. This is known as IC 1283, 1284 and

Nebulae IC 1283 - 84 and NGC 6589 - 90 in Sagittarius - Nebulosity in Sagittarius, NGC 6589 - 90 - These nebulae are located in Sagittarius at a distance of about 5900 light years from Earth. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Our view towards the centre of the Galaxy is obscured by extensive clouds of interstellar dust in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius. The large - scale, patchy nature of the obscuration can be seen with the unaided eye and it is evident on smaller scales from the uneven distribution of background stars across this picture. Light from bright stars within the dust produces the two blue reflection nebulae (NGC 6589 and 6590), and these stars are members of a loose open cluster of stars, NGC 6595 (Sharpless 37) which is at a distance of about 5,900 light years. A large, almost transparent cloud of hydrogen, mixed with traces of dust, glows with a characteristic magenta hue over most of the field of view. This is known as IC 1283, 1284 and

PIX4619870

Nebula NGC 3372 in the Carene - The Carina nebula - The Carene nebula is located about 8000 years from the Earth. It is home to many hot stars, including the massive star Eta Carinae in the centre of the nebula. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Although no bright naked - eye stars are associated with the Carina nebula now, 150 years ago there blazed forth here one of the most unusual and peculiar stars ever seen. The star is known as Eta Carinae and for a few months in 1843 it was the second or third brightest star in the sky. Since then it has faded and is today about 1000 times fainter than it was at its brightest as the nebula it created during its outburst has cooled and become opaque. The whole region around Eta Carinae is rich in hot stars of which Eta is an extreme example and it is their combined radiation that produces the spectacular Carina nebula that dominates this picture. The nebula and its peculiar star are about 8000 light years away

Nebula NGC 3372 in the Carene - The Carina nebula - The Carene nebula is located about 8000 years from the Earth. It is home to many hot stars, including the massive star Eta Carinae in the centre of the nebula. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Although no bright naked - eye stars are associated with the Carina nebula now, 150 years ago there blazed forth here one of the most unusual and peculiar stars ever seen. The star is known as Eta Carinae and for a few months in 1843 it was the second or third brightest star in the sky. Since then it has faded and is today about 1000 times fainter than it was at its brightest as the nebula it created during its outburst has cooled and become opaque. The whole region around Eta Carinae is rich in hot stars of which Eta is an extreme example and it is their combined radiation that produces the spectacular Carina nebula that dominates this picture. The nebula and its peculiar star are about 8000 light years away

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Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. The greenish middle portion is evidence of excited oxygen atoms, while the outer red is predominantly light from nitrogen and hydrogen. The smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance) and they give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. The greenish middle portion is evidence of excited oxygen atoms, while the outer red is predominantly light from nitrogen and hydrogen. The smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance) and they give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

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Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. The greenish middle portion is evidence of excited oxygen atoms, while the outer red is predominantly light from nitrogen and hydrogen. The smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance) and they give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. The greenish middle portion is evidence of excited oxygen atoms, while the outer red is predominantly light from nitrogen and hydrogen. The smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance) and they give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

PIX4623648

Open cluster NGC 2244 in the nebula of the Rosette - The Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 cluster - The Rosette nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas situated about 5500 years away from Earth. Towards the center of the nebula, a cluster of blue stars, NGC 2244 formed less than a million years ago. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. In the hollowed - out centre of the Rosette nebula lies NGC 2244, the cluster of young stars recently formed there. The cluster has itself created the cavity, radiation pressure and stellar winds from the stars blowing the gas and dust away from the young cluster. The hottest (and brightest) members of the group are seen as distinctly blue on this photograph, a colour corresponding to a surface temperature around 20,000K which may be compared with the Sun's 5500K. The nebula and its cluster is at a distance of about 4500 light years and shows many streaks and globules of dust, remnants of the cloud from which the stars formed

Open cluster NGC 2244 in the nebula of the Rosette - The Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 cluster - The Rosette nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas situated about 5500 years away from Earth. Towards the center of the nebula, a cluster of blue stars, NGC 2244 formed less than a million years ago. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. In the hollowed - out centre of the Rosette nebula lies NGC 2244, the cluster of young stars recently formed there. The cluster has itself created the cavity, radiation pressure and stellar winds from the stars blowing the gas and dust away from the young cluster. The hottest (and brightest) members of the group are seen as distinctly blue on this photograph, a colour corresponding to a surface temperature around 20,000K which may be compared with the Sun's 5500K. The nebula and its cluster is at a distance of about 4500 light years and shows many streaks and globules of dust, remnants of the cloud from which the stars formed

PIX4618488

Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. The greenish middle portion is evidence of excited oxygen atoms, while the outer red is predominantly light from nitrogen and hydrogen. The smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance) and they give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. The greenish middle portion is evidence of excited oxygen atoms, while the outer red is predominantly light from nitrogen and hydrogen. The smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance) and they give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

PIX4623642

Nebulae IC 1283 - 84 and NGC 6589 - 90 in Sagittarius - Nebulosity in Sagittarius, NGC 6589 - 90 - These nebulae are located in Sagittarius at a distance of about 5900 light years from Earth. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Our view towards the centre of the Galaxy is obscured by extensive clouds of interstellar dust in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius. The large - scale, patchy nature of the obscuration can be seen with the unaided eye and it is evident on smaller scales from the uneven distribution of background stars across this picture. Light from bright stars within the dust produces the two blue reflection nebulae (NGC 6589 and 6590), and these stars are members of a loose open cluster of stars, NGC 6595 (Sharpless 37) which is at a distance of about 5,900 light years. A large, almost transparent cloud of hydrogen, mixed with traces of dust, glows with a characteristic magenta hue over most of the field of view. This is known as IC 1283, 1284 and

Nebulae IC 1283 - 84 and NGC 6589 - 90 in Sagittarius - Nebulosity in Sagittarius, NGC 6589 - 90 - These nebulae are located in Sagittarius at a distance of about 5900 light years from Earth. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Our view towards the centre of the Galaxy is obscured by extensive clouds of interstellar dust in the direction of the constellation of Sagittarius. The large - scale, patchy nature of the obscuration can be seen with the unaided eye and it is evident on smaller scales from the uneven distribution of background stars across this picture. Light from bright stars within the dust produces the two blue reflection nebulae (NGC 6589 and 6590), and these stars are members of a loose open cluster of stars, NGC 6595 (Sharpless 37) which is at a distance of about 5,900 light years. A large, almost transparent cloud of hydrogen, mixed with traces of dust, glows with a characteristic magenta hue over most of the field of view. This is known as IC 1283, 1284 and

PIX4619926

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

PIX4564863

Supernova 1987A before and after explosion - Supernova 1987A with precursor image overlaid - Image of the Supernova 1987A, obtained on March 8, 1987. The photo of the star Sanduleak - 69* 202, photographed two years ago. Images obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. The brightest star in the colour photograph is supernova 1987A, photographed with the AAT two months before it reached its maximum brightness. Superimposed in register on this image is a negative photograph of the region around the supernova copied from an AAT plate that was exposed in 1985, two years before the supernova was seen to explode. The precursor star appears to be a peculiar shape only because its image is blended with those of two other stars that happen to lie in the same line of sight. Many similar blended images can be seen in the colour photograph. However, it was soon found that the brighter of the three had exploded, and tha

Supernova 1987A before and after explosion - Supernova 1987A with precursor image overlaid - Image of the Supernova 1987A, obtained on March 8, 1987. The photo of the star Sanduleak - 69* 202, photographed two years ago. Images obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. The brightest star in the colour photograph is supernova 1987A, photographed with the AAT two months before it reached its maximum brightness. Superimposed in register on this image is a negative photograph of the region around the supernova copied from an AAT plate that was exposed in 1985, two years before the supernova was seen to explode. The precursor star appears to be a peculiar shape only because its image is blended with those of two other stars that happen to lie in the same line of sight. Many similar blended images can be seen in the colour photograph. However, it was soon found that the brighter of the three had exploded, and tha

PIX4582378

Light echo of supernova 1987A - July 1989 - The light echo of supernova 1987A - July 1989 - Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. When supernova 1987A was seen to explode in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Milky Way's nearest companion galaxy, the brilliant flash of light from the self - destructing star had taken about 170,000 years to arrive. Some light was deflected by two sheets of dust near the supernova, and is seen after the star has faded away because it covers a longer path to reach us. The dust responsible for the rings seen here lies in two distinct sheets, about 470 and 1300 light years from the supernova. The colour picture, made by subtracting images on plates taken before and after the supernova, is an accurate reproduction of the colour of the extremely faint light echo, which in turn reflects the yellow colour of the supernova when it was at its brightest, in May 1987.

Light echo of supernova 1987A - July 1989 - The light echo of supernova 1987A - July 1989 - Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. When supernova 1987A was seen to explode in the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Milky Way's nearest companion galaxy, the brilliant flash of light from the self - destructing star had taken about 170,000 years to arrive. Some light was deflected by two sheets of dust near the supernova, and is seen after the star has faded away because it covers a longer path to reach us. The dust responsible for the rings seen here lies in two distinct sheets, about 470 and 1300 light years from the supernova. The colour picture, made by subtracting images on plates taken before and after the supernova, is an accurate reproduction of the colour of the extremely faint light echo, which in turn reflects the yellow colour of the supernova when it was at its brightest, in May 1987.

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Orion Nebula - the trapeze - The Trapezium region in M42 - Located 1500 years - light, Orion Nebula is the closest region of formation of stars of the Sun. In the center of the picture, the Trapeze of Orion. The Trapeze is among the youngest known open clusters, it is made up of 4 massive stars that make the nebula shine. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. 30-sec poses. The central 'star' of the three groups forming the asterism of Orion's sword is in reality a nebula, and is clearly nebulous to the unaided eye. At the heart of the most luminous nebulosity shimmer a handful of stars known as the Trapezium cluster, visible in binoculars. These are the brightest members of a substantial cluster of stars, most of which are still hidden in the dusty recesses of the Orion nebula against which they are seen. The stars of the Trapezium provide much of the energy which makes the brilliant Orion Nebula visible and are at a distance of about 1500 light years. This image was made

Orion Nebula - the trapeze - The Trapezium region in M42 - Located 1500 years - light, Orion Nebula is the closest region of formation of stars of the Sun. In the center of the picture, the Trapeze of Orion. The Trapeze is among the youngest known open clusters, it is made up of 4 massive stars that make the nebula shine. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. 30-sec poses. The central 'star' of the three groups forming the asterism of Orion's sword is in reality a nebula, and is clearly nebulous to the unaided eye. At the heart of the most luminous nebulosity shimmer a handful of stars known as the Trapezium cluster, visible in binoculars. These are the brightest members of a substantial cluster of stars, most of which are still hidden in the dusty recesses of the Orion nebula against which they are seen. The stars of the Trapezium provide much of the energy which makes the brilliant Orion Nebula visible and are at a distance of about 1500 light years. This image was made

PIX4617827

Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) in the river bream - The Tarantula Nebula, around the 30 Dor cluster - The Tarantula Nebula (or 30 Bream) is the largest star-forming region of the Great Magellan Cloud. It is located 170,000 light years ago in the constellation Dorado (southern hemisphere). At the center of this nebula, the open cluster of R136 stars, clusters of hot and massive stars. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This object is the only extra - galactic nebula which can be seen with the unaided eye. It is a faint patch of light at the eastern end of the Large Magellanic Cloud, 170,000 light years distant. A small telescope reveals narrow spindly tendrils of glowing gas which have been likened to the legs of a spider. The 'body' of the spider is the bright nebula seen at the centre of the photograph, while at its core is an extremely dense clump of very hot stars, until recently thought to a single, unusually massive star known as 30 Doradus. The very hot stars of 30

Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070) in the river bream - The Tarantula Nebula, around the 30 Dor cluster - The Tarantula Nebula (or 30 Bream) is the largest star-forming region of the Great Magellan Cloud. It is located 170,000 light years ago in the constellation Dorado (southern hemisphere). At the center of this nebula, the open cluster of R136 stars, clusters of hot and massive stars. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This object is the only extra - galactic nebula which can be seen with the unaided eye. It is a faint patch of light at the eastern end of the Large Magellanic Cloud, 170,000 light years distant. A small telescope reveals narrow spindly tendrils of glowing gas which have been likened to the legs of a spider. The 'body' of the spider is the bright nebula seen at the centre of the photograph, while at its core is an extremely dense clump of very hot stars, until recently thought to a single, unusually massive star known as 30 Doradus. The very hot stars of 30

PIX4618255

Irregular Galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud (NGC 292) - The Small Magellanic Cloud - The galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud is about 240,000 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Toucan. It's one of the closest galaxies of the Lactee Way. Two globular clusters are visible in this image, on the right the Toucan cluster, at the top of the galaxy the NGC 362 cluster. Image obtained by the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescope from Siding Spring, Australia. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the second nearest galaxy to the Milky Way, (the LMC being the nearest) and is at the distance of about 240,000 light years, quite close enough for it to be resolved into individual stars on this colour picture made from plates taken on the UK Schmidt Telescope. The shape of the SMC defies description and it is therefore classified as an 'irregular' galaxy. The large globular cluster at right is 47 Tucanae, while a smaller one at the top of the picture is NGC 362. It is about 30,000 light yea

Irregular Galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud (NGC 292) - The Small Magellanic Cloud - The galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud is about 240,000 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Toucan. It's one of the closest galaxies of the Lactee Way. Two globular clusters are visible in this image, on the right the Toucan cluster, at the top of the galaxy the NGC 362 cluster. Image obtained by the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescope from Siding Spring, Australia. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the second nearest galaxy to the Milky Way, (the LMC being the nearest) and is at the distance of about 240,000 light years, quite close enough for it to be resolved into individual stars on this colour picture made from plates taken on the UK Schmidt Telescope. The shape of the SMC defies description and it is therefore classified as an 'irregular' galaxy. The large globular cluster at right is 47 Tucanae, while a smaller one at the top of the picture is NGC 362. It is about 30,000 light yea

PIX4613306

Dark Stars and Nebulae in Sagittarius - The Star Clouds of Sagittarius - Star Field towards the center of our galaxy. The bright star towards the center of the image is Gamma of Sagittarius. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Orbiting round the centre of our Galaxy are found huge numbers of stars which are mostly faint, cool and often billions of years old. They are as ancient as the Galaxy itself. These stars are seen with the unaided eye as the hazy star clouds of the southern Milky Way, especially rich in Sagittarius. Our line of sight in this direction is strongly affected by dust, which reveals itself by both dimming the starlight passing through it and by selectively removing the blue light, changing the apparent colour to a deeper yellow. Though the colour change is only seen in photographs such as this, the dustiness of the Milky Way is obvious to the unaided eye. Near the centre of the picture is a region known as Baade's Window after the astro

Dark Stars and Nebulae in Sagittarius - The Star Clouds of Sagittarius - Star Field towards the center of our galaxy. The bright star towards the center of the image is Gamma of Sagittarius. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Orbiting round the centre of our Galaxy are found huge numbers of stars which are mostly faint, cool and often billions of years old. They are as ancient as the Galaxy itself. These stars are seen with the unaided eye as the hazy star clouds of the southern Milky Way, especially rich in Sagittarius. Our line of sight in this direction is strongly affected by dust, which reveals itself by both dimming the starlight passing through it and by selectively removing the blue light, changing the apparent colour to a deeper yellow. Though the colour change is only seen in photographs such as this, the dustiness of the Milky Way is obvious to the unaided eye. Near the centre of the picture is a region known as Baade's Window after the astro

PIX4621371

Irregular Galaxy IC 5152 in the Indian - A nearby galaxy, IC 5152 - IC 5152 is an irregular galaxy located about 5.8 million years ago - light. In the foreground, a star in our galaxy of 8th magnitude. Image made in 1982 with the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring. This small blue galaxy is resolved into stars in this deep AAT picture, which means that it is relatively nearby. However despite its proximity, it is probably just beyond the Local Group, which is a loose collection of 30 or so galaxies within 2 or 3 million light years of the Milky Way. Apart from the Milky Way and the similarly massive M31 galaxy in Andromeda, most of our immediate extra - galactic neighbours are light - weight collections of stars and gas like IC 5152, though few (except the Large Magellanic Cloud) show such strong evidence of recent star formation The bright object which appears at the eastern end of the galaxy is an 8th magnitude blue star in the Milky Way

Irregular Galaxy IC 5152 in the Indian - A nearby galaxy, IC 5152 - IC 5152 is an irregular galaxy located about 5.8 million years ago - light. In the foreground, a star in our galaxy of 8th magnitude. Image made in 1982 with the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring. This small blue galaxy is resolved into stars in this deep AAT picture, which means that it is relatively nearby. However despite its proximity, it is probably just beyond the Local Group, which is a loose collection of 30 or so galaxies within 2 or 3 million light years of the Milky Way. Apart from the Milky Way and the similarly massive M31 galaxy in Andromeda, most of our immediate extra - galactic neighbours are light - weight collections of stars and gas like IC 5152, though few (except the Large Magellanic Cloud) show such strong evidence of recent star formation The bright object which appears at the eastern end of the galaxy is an 8th magnitude blue star in the Milky Way

PIX4613299

Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - NGC 5078 is a spiral galaxy located about 95 million years ago - light. A small galaxy, IC 879, at the bottom of the picture, is probably interacting with it. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 5078 is a lenticular (lens - shaped) galaxy crossed by a distinct dusty band which is seen against the bright background of the galaxy itself. The dust lane is warped and broadened, probably by interaction with the faint companion galaxy IC 879, which is itself distorted into an 'S' shape by the interaction. The slightly bluish colour of parts of the fainter galaxy is suggestive of star formation, probably triggered by the interaction. Encounters between galaxies such as this are common, and often lead to them merging into a single entity. It is likely that the dust lane of NGC 5078 is the remnant of a dusty spiral which fell into it long ago. The galaxies are about 80 million light years distant

Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - NGC 5078 is a spiral galaxy located about 95 million years ago - light. A small galaxy, IC 879, at the bottom of the picture, is probably interacting with it. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 5078 is a lenticular (lens - shaped) galaxy crossed by a distinct dusty band which is seen against the bright background of the galaxy itself. The dust lane is warped and broadened, probably by interaction with the faint companion galaxy IC 879, which is itself distorted into an 'S' shape by the interaction. The slightly bluish colour of parts of the fainter galaxy is suggestive of star formation, probably triggered by the interaction. Encounters between galaxies such as this are common, and often lead to them merging into a single entity. It is likely that the dust lane of NGC 5078 is the remnant of a dusty spiral which fell into it long ago. The galaxies are about 80 million light years distant

PIX4612223

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

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Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Veles - Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Vela - This cluster of stars is located about 15,000 years ago - light from Earth

Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Veles - Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Vela - This cluster of stars is located about 15,000 years ago - light from Earth

PIX4564350

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 2442 in Flying Fish - NGC 2442, a barred spiral galaxy in Volans - NGC 2442 is a barree spiral galaxy located about 50 million years ago - light. Its asymmetrical shape suggests that a galaxy interacts with it. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This unusual barred spiral galaxy is in the far southern constellation of Volans and was discovered by Sir John Herschel who described one of its spiral arms as hook - like. Although not seen here, (but evident on very deep images) NGC 2442 appears to have a less massive, distant companion that is also distorted, and it seems likely that the two have had a close encounter in the recent past. If there are no further meetings, the forces that hold NGC 2442 together will restore galaxy to a more symmetrical spiral form. However, much more likely is that the companion has been captured by the distorted spiral and will eventually be devoured by it, triggering a dramatic bout of star formation. NGC 2442 is about

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 2442 in Flying Fish - NGC 2442, a barred spiral galaxy in Volans - NGC 2442 is a barree spiral galaxy located about 50 million years ago - light. Its asymmetrical shape suggests that a galaxy interacts with it. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This unusual barred spiral galaxy is in the far southern constellation of Volans and was discovered by Sir John Herschel who described one of its spiral arms as hook - like. Although not seen here, (but evident on very deep images) NGC 2442 appears to have a less massive, distant companion that is also distorted, and it seems likely that the two have had a close encounter in the recent past. If there are no further meetings, the forces that hold NGC 2442 together will restore galaxy to a more symmetrical spiral form. However, much more likely is that the companion has been captured by the distorted spiral and will eventually be devoured by it, triggering a dramatic bout of star formation. NGC 2442 is about

PIX4610090

Galaxy NGC 4027 in the Raven - Galaxy NGC 4027 in Corvus - NGC 4027 is a spiral galaxy located about 80 million years ago - light. One of his arms is more extended, probably by the presence of a nearby dwarf galaxy. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This galaxy is of interest because of its similarity to the Large Magellanic Cloud, (LMC) our nearest extra - galactic neighbour. Like the LMC, its light comes predominantly from young stars, which are hotter than the Sun and give the galaxy a bluish colour. However, because this galaxy is over 80 million light - years distant we see only the integrated light of millions of unresolved stars, rather than the individuals we see in the LMC. NGC 4027 has a somewhat distorted appearance and an elongated spiral arm, probably due to the gravitational effect of a smaller companion galaxy, not visible in this photograph but rather obvious on a much deeper image. NGC 4027 is less than half a degree south of the Antennae interacting gala

Galaxy NGC 4027 in the Raven - Galaxy NGC 4027 in Corvus - NGC 4027 is a spiral galaxy located about 80 million years ago - light. One of his arms is more extended, probably by the presence of a nearby dwarf galaxy. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This galaxy is of interest because of its similarity to the Large Magellanic Cloud, (LMC) our nearest extra - galactic neighbour. Like the LMC, its light comes predominantly from young stars, which are hotter than the Sun and give the galaxy a bluish colour. However, because this galaxy is over 80 million light - years distant we see only the integrated light of millions of unresolved stars, rather than the individuals we see in the LMC. NGC 4027 has a somewhat distorted appearance and an elongated spiral arm, probably due to the gravitational effect of a smaller companion galaxy, not visible in this photograph but rather obvious on a much deeper image. NGC 4027 is less than half a degree south of the Antennae interacting gala

PIX4611054

Nebula Trifide (M20) in the constellation Sagittarius - Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius - View of the Trifide nebula (M20/NGC 6514) located in the constellation Sagittarius between 5000 and 10,000 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The spectacular Trifid nebula (Messier 20) is one of the best known in the sky. It is a striking mixture of brilliant red light emitted from excited hydrogen gas and the soft blue glow of a reflection nebula. The blue arises from starlight, scattered by dust particles between the stars. The size of the particles is minute, similar to those of smoke, which also has a bluish hue. However, the scattered light is not a pure blue, and if we see it through a medium that is yellow (i.e. absorbs blue light) some green colouration remains. This effect can be seen in some of the darker parts of the faint reflection nebula that surrounds the Trifid, where partial absorption of light by foreground dust provides a yellow 'filte

Nebula Trifide (M20) in the constellation Sagittarius - Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius - View of the Trifide nebula (M20/NGC 6514) located in the constellation Sagittarius between 5000 and 10,000 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The spectacular Trifid nebula (Messier 20) is one of the best known in the sky. It is a striking mixture of brilliant red light emitted from excited hydrogen gas and the soft blue glow of a reflection nebula. The blue arises from starlight, scattered by dust particles between the stars. The size of the particles is minute, similar to those of smoke, which also has a bluish hue. However, the scattered light is not a pure blue, and if we see it through a medium that is yellow (i.e. absorbs blue light) some green colouration remains. This effect can be seen in some of the darker parts of the faint reflection nebula that surrounds the Trifid, where partial absorption of light by foreground dust provides a yellow 'filte

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Nebula Trifide (M20) in the constellation Sagittarius - Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius - View of the Trifide nebula (M20 or NGC 6514) located in the constellation Sagittarius between 5000 and 10,000 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Trifid nebula is located in Sagittarius constellation between 5000 and 10 000 light - years away. Stars, the Sun included, were born within clouds of dusty gas such as the Trifid Nebula. Within it a number of young hot stars have already formed. The hottest cause the gas, mostly hydrogen, to emit its characteristic red light. Around the red emission nebula the gas contains many dust grains which preferentially reflect the blue component of starlight, and to the north (top) of the nebula can be seen a bright star which illuminates part of the dust to create a region of blue reflection. In some parts of the nebula there are so many dust grains that they hide the glowing gas, producing the three dark lanes which gi

Nebula Trifide (M20) in the constellation Sagittarius - Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius - View of the Trifide nebula (M20 or NGC 6514) located in the constellation Sagittarius between 5000 and 10,000 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Trifid nebula is located in Sagittarius constellation between 5000 and 10 000 light - years away. Stars, the Sun included, were born within clouds of dusty gas such as the Trifid Nebula. Within it a number of young hot stars have already formed. The hottest cause the gas, mostly hydrogen, to emit its characteristic red light. Around the red emission nebula the gas contains many dust grains which preferentially reflect the blue component of starlight, and to the north (top) of the nebula can be seen a bright star which illuminates part of the dust to create a region of blue reflection. In some parts of the nebula there are so many dust grains that they hide the glowing gas, producing the three dark lanes which gi

PIX4619538

Nebula NGC 3372 in the Carene - The Eta Carinae Nebula and Trumpler 14 - The Carene nebula is located about 7000 years from the Earth. It is home to many hot stars, including the star Eta Carinae (lower left, the brightest star in the picture). Top right is a cluster of young stars, Trumpler 14. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. In the small region pictured here are three of the brightest stars known in our Galaxy, each a million times more luminous than the Sun. To the left of the picture is an even more extreme star, Eta Carinae itself, shrouded in a small bright irregular nebula of its own making. In the upper right of the photograph is Trumpler 14, a cluster of very young stars which appears to be associated with a number of bright - edged 'elephant trunk' dust lanes, typical of star - forming regions. All these objects and most of the bright stars scattered across the face of the nebula are together in space at a distance of about 7000 light years. Despite this dis

Nebula NGC 3372 in the Carene - The Eta Carinae Nebula and Trumpler 14 - The Carene nebula is located about 7000 years from the Earth. It is home to many hot stars, including the star Eta Carinae (lower left, the brightest star in the picture). Top right is a cluster of young stars, Trumpler 14. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. In the small region pictured here are three of the brightest stars known in our Galaxy, each a million times more luminous than the Sun. To the left of the picture is an even more extreme star, Eta Carinae itself, shrouded in a small bright irregular nebula of its own making. In the upper right of the photograph is Trumpler 14, a cluster of very young stars which appears to be associated with a number of bright - edged 'elephant trunk' dust lanes, typical of star - forming regions. All these objects and most of the bright stars scattered across the face of the nebula are together in space at a distance of about 7000 light years. Despite this dis

PIX4618903

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