APOD: 2022 November 22 - A Double Star Cluster in Perseus Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 22 A Double Star Cluster in Perseus Image Credit & Copyright: Tommy Lease Explanation: Few star clusters are this close to each other. Visible to the unaided eye from dark sky areas, it was cataloged in 130 BC by Greek astronomer Hipparchus. Some 7,000 light-years away, this pair of open star clusters is also an easy binocular target, a striking starfield in the northern constellation of the mythical Greek hero Perseus.Now known as h and chi Persei, or NGC 869 (above right) and NGC 884, the clusters themselves are separated by only a few hundred light-years and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. In addition to being physically close together, the clusters' ages based on their individual stars are similar - evidence that both clusters were likely a product of the same star-forming region. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official:...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 23 Earthset from Orion Image Credit:NASA,Artemis 1 Explanation: Eight billion people are about to disappear in thissnapshot from space.Taken on November 21, thesixth day of the Artemis 1 mission,their home world is setting behind the Moon's bright edge as viewed by anexternal cameraon the outbound Orion spacecraft.The Orion was headed for a powered flyby thattook it to within 130 kilometers of the lunar surface.Velocity gained in the flyby maneuver will be used to reach adistant retrograde orbitaround the Moon.That orbit is considered distant because it's another 92,000 kilometersbeyond the Moon, and retrograde because the spacecraft willorbit in the opposite direction of the Moon's orbit around planet Earth.Orion will enter its distant retrograde orbit on Friday, November 25.Swinging around the Moon,Orion will reach a maximum distance (just over 400,000 kilometers)from Earth on Monday November 28 exceeding a record set byApollo 13 for most distantspacecraft designed forhuman space exploration. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU)...
APOD: 2022 November 21 - The Butterfly Nebula from Hubble Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 21 The Butterfly Nebula from Hubble Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble;Processing: William Ostling Explanation: Stars can make beautiful patterns as they age -- sometimes similar to flowers or insects.NGC 6302, the Butterfly Nebula, is a notable example. Though its gaseous wingspan covers over 3 light-years and its estimated surface temperature exceeds 200,000 degreesC,the aging central star of NGC 6302, the featured planetary nebula, has become exceptionally hot, shining brightly in visible and ultraviolet light but hidden from direct view by a dense torus of dust.This sharp close-up was recorded by the HubbleSpace Telescope and is processed here to show off remarkabledetails of the complex planetary nebula, highlighting in particular light emitted by oxygen (shown as blue), hydrogen (green), and nitrogen (red).NGC 6302lies about 3,500 light-years away in thearachnologically correct constellation of the Scorpion (Scorpius).Planetary nebulas evolve from outer atmospheres of stars like our Sun, but usually fade in about 20,000 years. Tomorrow's picture: double space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 22 A Double Star Cluster in Perseus Image Credit & Copyright: Tommy Lease Explanation: Few star clusters this close to each other. Visible to the unaided eye from dark sky areas, it was cataloged in 130 BC by Greek astronomer Hipparchus. Some 7,000 light-years away, this pair of open star clusters is also an easy binocular target, a striking starfield in the northern constellation of the mythical Greek hero Perseus.Now known as h and chi Persei, or NGC 869 (above right) and NGC 884, the clusters themselves are separated by only a few hundred light-years and contain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. In addition to being physically close together, the clusters' ages based on their individual stars are similar - evidence that both clusters were likely a product of the same star-forming region. Tomorrow's picture: open space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important...
APOD: 2022 November 20 - Airglow Ripples over Tibet Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 20 Airglow Ripples over Tibet Image Credit & Copyright: Jeff Dai Explanation: Why would the sky look like a giant target?Airglow.Following a giant thunderstorm over Bangladesh in late April, giant circular ripples of glowing air appeared over Tibet, China, as pictured here.The unusual pattern is created by atmospheric gravity waves, waves of alternating air pressure that can grow with height as the air thins, in this case about 90-kilometers up. Unlike auroras powered by collisions with energetic charged particles and seen at high latitudes, airglow is due to chemiluminescence, the production of light in a chemical reaction. More typically seen near the horizon, airglow keeps the night sky from ever being completely dark. Tomorrow's picture: butterfly sky <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 21 The Butterfly Nebula from Hubble Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble;Processing: William Ostling Explanation: Stars can make beautiful patterns as they age -- sometimes similar to flowers or insects.NGC 6302, the Butterfly Nebula, is a notable example. Though its gaseous wingspan covers over 3 light-years and its estimated surface temperature exceeds 200,000 degreesC,the aging central star of NGC 6302, the featured planetary nebula, has become exceptionally hot, shining brightly in visible and ultraviolet light but hidden from direct view by a dense torus of dust.This sharp close-up was recorded by the HubbleSpace Telescope and is processed here to show off remarkabledetails of the complex planetary nebula, highlighting in particular light emitted by oxygen (shown as blue), hydrogen (green), and nitrogen (red).NGC 6302lies about 3,500 light-years away in thearachnologically correct constellation of the Scorpion (Scorpius).Planetary nebulas evolve from outer atmospheres of stars like our Sun, but usually fade in about 20,000 years. Tomorrow's picture: double space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors &...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 20 Airglow Ripples over Tibet Image Credit & Copyright: Jeff Dai Explanation: Why would the sky look like a giant target?Airglow.Following a giant thunderstorm over Bangladesh in late April, giant circular ripples of glowing air appeared over Tibet, China, as pictured here.The unusual pattern is created by atmospheric gravity waves, waves of alternating air pressure that can grow with height as the air thins, in this case about 90-kilometers up. Unlike auroras powered by collisions with energetic charged particles and seen at high latitudes, airglow is due to chemiluminescence, the production of light in a chemical reaction. More typically seen near the horizon, airglow keeps the night sky from ever being completely dark. Tomorrow's picture: butterfly sky <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
APOD: 2022 November 18 - The Protostar within L1527 Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 18 The Protostar within L1527 Image Credit:Science -NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI,NIRCamProcessing - Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer(STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Explanation: The protostar withindark cloud L1527 is a mere 100,000 years old,still embedded in the cloud of gas and dust that feeds its growth.In this NIRCam image from the James Webb Space Telescope,the dark band at the neck of the infrared nebulais a thick disk that surrounds theyoung stellar object. Viewed nearly edge-on and a little larger than our Solar System,the disk ultimately supplies material to theprotostar whilehiding it from Webb's direct infrared view.The nebula itself is seen in stunning detail though.Illuminated by infrared light from the protostar,the hourglass-shaped nebula's cavities arecreated asmaterial ejectedin the star-forming process plows through the surrounding medium.As the protostar gains mass it will eventually become a full-fledgedstar, collapsing and igniting nuclear fusion in its core.A likely analog to our own Sun and Solar System in their early infancy,the protostar within dark cloud L1527 lies some 460 light-years distantin the Taurus star-forming region.Webb's NIRCam...
APOD: 2022 November 17 - Planet Earth from Orion Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 17 Planet Earth from Orion Image Credit:NASA,Artemis 1 Explanation: A Space Launch System rocket left planet Earthon Wednesday, November 16 at 1:47am EST carrying the Orion spacecraft on theArtemis 1 mission, the first integrated test of NASA’s deep spaceexploration systems.Over an hour afterliftoff fromKennedy Space Center'shistoricLaunch Complex 39B,one of Orion'sexternal video camerascaptured this view of its new perspectivefrom space.In the foreground are Orion's Orbital Maneuvering System engineand auxillary engines,at the bottom of the European Service Module.Beyond one of the module's 7-meter long extended solar array wingslies the spacecraft'sbeautiful home world.The Artemis 1 missionwill last almost four weeks,testing capabilities to enable human exploration of the Moon and Mars.The uncrewed Orion spacecraft isexpected to fly by the Moonon November 21, performing a close approach to thelunar surface on its way to aretrograde orbit 70,000 kilometers beyond the Moon. Tomorrow's picture: the protostar within <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 18 The Protostar within L1527 Image Credit:Science -NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI,NIRCamProcessing - Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer(STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Explanation: The protostar withindark cloud L1527 is a mere 100,000 years old,still embedded in the cloud of gas and dust that feeds its growth.In this NIRCam image from the James Webb Space Telescope,the dark band at the neck of the infrared nebulais a thick disk that surrounds theyoung stellar object. Viewed nearly edge-on and a little larger than our Solar System,the disk ultimately supplies material to theprotostar whilehiding it from Webb's direct infrared view.The nebula itself is seen in stunning detail though.Illuminated by infrared light from the protostar,the hourglass-shaped nebula's cavities arecreated asmaterial ejectedin the star-forming process plows through the surrounding medium.As the protostar gains mass it will eventually become a full-fledgedstar, collapsing and igniting nuclear fusion in its core.A likely analog to our own Sun and Solar System in their early infancy,the protostar within dark cloud L1527 lies some 460 light-years distantin the Taurus star-forming region.Webb's NIRCam imagespans about 0.3 light-years....
APOD: 2022 November 16 - In the Arms of NGC 1097 Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 16 In the Arms of NGC 1097 Image Credit &Copyright: Mike Selby,Mark Hanson Explanation: Spiral galaxy NGC 1097shines in southern skies, about45 million light-years away in the heated constellationFornax.Its blue spiral arms are mottled with pinkish star forming regions inthis colorful galaxy portrait.They seem to have wrapped around a small companion galaxy above andright of center, about 40,000 light-years from the spiral's luminous core.That's not NGC 1097's only peculiar feature, though.This very deep exposure hints of faint,mysterious jets, seen to extend well beyond the bluish arms.In fact, four faint jets are ultimatelyrecognizedin optical images of NGC 1097.The jetstrace an X centered on the galaxy's nucleus, but probably don'toriginate there.Instead, they could be fossil star streams,trails left over from thecapture and disruption of a much smaller galaxy in thelarge spiral's ancient past.A Seyfertgalaxy, NGC 1097's nucleus also harbors asupermassive black hole. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 17 Planet Earth from Orion Image Credit:NASA,Artemis 1 Explanation: A Space Launch System rocket left planet Earthon Wednesday, November 16 at 1:47am EST carrying the Orion spacecraft on theArtemis 1 mission, the first integrated test of NASA’s deep spaceexploration systems.Over an hour afterliftoff fromKennedy Space Center'shistoricLaunch Complex 39B,one of Orion'sexternal video camerascaptured this view of its new perspectivefrom space.In the foreground are Orion's Orbital Maneuvering System engineand auxillary engines,at the bottom of the European Service Module.Beyond one of the module's 7-meter long extended solar array wingslies the spacecraft'sbeautiful home world.The Artemis 1 missionwill last almost four weeks,testing capabilities to enable human exploration of the Moon and Mars.The uncrewed Orion spacecraft isexpected to fly by the Moonon November 21, performing a close approach to thelunar surface on its way to aretrograde orbit 70,000 kilometers beyond the Moon. Tomorrow's picture: the protostar within <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2022 November 16 In the Arms of NGC 1097 Image Credit &Copyright: Mike Selby,Mark Hanson Explanation: Spiral galaxy NGC 1097shines in southern skies, about45 million light-years away in the heated constellationFornax.Its blue spiral arms are mottled with pinkish star forming regions inthis colorful galaxy portrait.They seem to have wrapped around a small companion galaxy above andright of center, about 40,000 light-years from the spiral's luminous core.That's not NGC 1097's only peculiar feature, though.This very deep exposure hints of faint,mysterious jets, seen to extend well beyond the bluish arms.In fact, four faint jets are ultimatelyrecognizedin optical images of NGC 1097.The jetstrace an X centered on the galaxy's nucleus, but probably don'toriginate there.Instead, they could be fossil star streams,trails left over from thecapture and disruption of a much smaller galaxy in thelarge spiral's ancient past.A Seyfertgalaxy, NGC 1097's nucleus also harbors asupermassive black hole. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights...