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. 2024 June 8 Pandora's Cluster of Galaxies Image Credit:NASA,ESA,CSA,Ivo Labbe (Swinburne), Rachel Bezanson (University of Pittsburgh),Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Explanation: This deep field mosaicked imagepresents a stunning view of galaxy cluster Abell 2744 recorded bythe James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam.Also dubbed Pandora's Cluster, Abell 2744 itselfappears to be a ponderous merger of three different massive galaxyclusters.It lies some 3.5 billion light-years away, toward the constellationSculptor.Dominated bydark matter,the mega-cluster warps and distortsthe fabric of spacetime,gravitationally lensingeven more distant objects.Redder than the Pandora cluster galaxiesmany of the lensed sources are very distant galaxies in the earlyUniverse, their lensed images stretched and distorted into arcs.Of course distinctivediffraction spikes mark foreground Milky Waystars.At the Pandora Cluster's estimateddistance this cosmic box spans about 6 million light-years.But don't panic.You can explore the tantalizing region in a2 minute video tour. Tomorrow's picture: what's that? <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation&...

APOD: 2024 June 6 - NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge 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. 2024 June 6 NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge Image Credit &Copyright: Lóránd Fényes Explanation: Magnificent spiral galaxyNGC 4565is viewed edge-on from planet Earth.Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile,bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky,in the faint but well-groomed constellationComa Berenices.This sharp, colorful image reveals the galaxy'sboxy, bulgingcentral core cut byobscuring dust lanes that laceNGC 4565's thin galactic plane.NGC 4565 itself lies about 40 million light-years distant and spanssome 100,000 light-years. Easily spotted with small telescopes,skyenthusiasts consider NGC 4565 to be a prominent celestialmasterpiece Messier missed. Tomorrow's picture: sky dolphin <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 June 7 SH2-308: The Dolphin Head Nebula Image Credit &Copyright: Prabhu Kutti Explanation: Blown by fast winds from a hot, massive star,this cosmic bubble is huge.Cataloged asSharpless 2-308it lies some 5,000 light-years away toward the well-trained constellationCanis Major andcovers slightly more of the sky than a Full Moon.Thatcorrespondsto a diameter of 60 light-years at its estimated distance.The massive star that created the bubble, aWolf-Rayet star,is the bright onenear the centerof the nebula.Wolf-Rayet starshave over 20 times the mass of the Sun and are thought to be in a brief,pre-supernova phaseof massive star evolution.Fast winds from this Wolf-Rayet starcreate the bubble-shaped nebula as they sweep up slower moving material from an earlier phase of evolution.The windblown nebula has an age of about 70,000 years.Relatively faint emission captured by narrowband filtersin the deep imageis dominated by the glow of ionized oxygen atomsmapped to a blue hue.Presenting amostly harmlessoutline, SH2-308 is also known as The Dolphin-head Nebula. Tomorrow's picture: pandora's galaxies <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| >...

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. 2024 June 6 NGC 4565: Galaxy on Edge Image Credit &Copyright: Lóránd Fényes Explanation: Magnificent spiral galaxyNGC 4565is viewed edge-on from planet Earth.Also known as the Needle Galaxy for its narrow profile,bright NGC 4565 is a stop on many telescopic tours of the northern sky,in the faint but well-groomed constellationComa Berenices.This sharp, colorful image reveals the galaxy'sboxy, bulgingcentral core cut byobscuring dust lanes that laceNGC 4565's thin galactic plane.NGC 4565 itself lies about 40 million light-years distant and spanssome 100,000 light-years. Easily spotted with small telescopes,skyenthusiasts consider NGC 4565 to be a prominent celestialmasterpiece Messier missed. Tomorrow's picture: sky dolphin <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 June 3 NGC 2403 in Camelopardalis Image Credit &Copyright: (Team F.A.C.T.) Lilian Lbt - Cyrille Malo - Maxime Martin - ClémentDaniel - Paul Grasset - Louis Leroux-Géré Explanation: Magnificent island universeNGC 2403stands within the boundaries of the long-necked constellationCamelopardalis.Some 10 million light-years distant and about 50,000 light-yearsacross, the spiral galaxy also seems to have morethan its fair share of giant star formingHII regions,marked by the telltale reddish glow of atomic hydrogen gas.The giant HII regions are energized by clusters of hot, massive starsthat explode asbright supernovaeat the end of their short and furious lives.A member of the M81 group of galaxies,NGC 2403 closely resembles a galaxy in our own local galaxy group with anabundance of star forming regions,M33, the Triangulum Galaxy.Spiky in appearance,bright stars inthis portrait of NGC 2403are in the foreground, within our own Milky Way.Also in the foreground of the deep, wide-field, telescopicimage are the Milky Way's dim and dustyinterstellar clouds also known asgalactic cirrus or integrated flux nebulae.But faint features that seem to extend fromNGC 2403 itselfare likely...

APOD: 2024 May 31 - The Nebulous Realm of WR 134 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. 2024 May 31 The Nebulous Realm of WR 134 Image Credit &Copyright: Xin Long Explanation: Made with narrowband filters,this cosmic snapshotcovers a field of view over twice as wide as the full Moon within theboundaries of the constellation Cygnus.It highlights the bright edge of a ring-like nebula traced by theglow of ionized hydrogen and oxygen gas.Embedded inthe region's expanse of interstellar clouds,the complex, glowing arcs are sections of shells of materialswept up by the wind fromWolf-Rayet star WR 134,brightest star near the center of the frame.Distance estimates put WR 134 about 6,000 light-years away, makingthe frame over 100 light-years across.Sheddingtheir outer envelopes in powerful stellar winds,massive Wolf-Rayet stars have burned through their nuclear fuel at aprodigious rateand end this final phase of massive star evolution ina spectacular supernova explosion.The stellar winds and final supernova enrich the interstellarmaterial with heavy elementsto be incorporated infuture generations of stars. Tomorrow's picture: stereo moon <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors:...

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. 2024 June 1 Stereo Helene Image Credit: Cassini Imaging Team,ISS,JPL,ESA,NASA;Stereo Image byRoberto Beltramini Explanation: Get out yourred/blue glasses and float next to Helene,small, icy moon of Saturn.Appropriately named, Heleneis a Trojan moon, so called because it orbits at aLagrange point.A Lagrange point is a gravitationally stable positionnear two massive bodies, in this caseSaturnand larger moon Dione.In fact, irregularly shaped ( about 36 by 32 by 30 kilometers)Helene orbits at Dione's leading Lagrange point whilebrotherly ice moon Polydeuces follows at Dione's trailing Lagrangepoint.The sharp stereoanaglyph was constructed from twoCassini images captured duringaclose flyby in 2011.It shows part of the Saturn-facing hemisphere of Helenemottled with craters and gully-like features. Tomorrow's picture: both sides of Earth's Moon <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 May 31 The Nebulous Realm of WR 134 Image Credit &Copyright: Xin Long Explanation: Made with narrowband filters,this cosmic snapshotcovers a field of view over twice as wide as the full Moon within theboundaries of the constellation Cygnus.It highlights the bright edge of a ring-like nebula traced by theglow of ionized hydrogen and oxygen gas.Embedded inthe region's expanse of interstellar clouds,the complex, glowing arcs are sections of shells of materialswept up by the wind fromWolf-Rayet star WR 134,brightest star near the center of the frame.Distance estimates put WR 134 about 6,000 light-years away, makingthe frame over 100 light-years across.Sheddingtheir outer envelopes in powerful stellar winds,massive Wolf-Rayet stars have burned through their nuclear fuel at aprodigious rateand end this final phase of massive star evolution ina spectacular supernova explosion.The stellar winds and final supernova enrich the interstellarmaterial with heavy elementsto be incorporated infuture generations of stars. Tomorrow's picture: stereo moon <| 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. 2024 May 27 Chamaeleon I Molecular Cloud Image Credit &Copyright:Amiel Contuliano Explanation: Dark markingsand bright nebulae in this telescopic southern sky vieware telltale signs of young stars andactivestarformation.They lie a mere 650 light-years away,at the boundaryof thelocal bubbleand the Chamaeleon molecular cloud complex.Regions with young stars identified as dusty reflection nebulaefrom the 1946Cederblad cataloginclude the C-shaped Ced 110 just above and right of center,and bluish Ced 111 below it.Also a standout in the frame, the orange tinted V-shape of theChamaeleonInfrared Nebula(Cha IRN) was carved by material streaming from a newly formed low-massstar. The well-composed imagespans 1.5 degrees.That's about 17 light-years at the estimated distance of the nearbyChamaeleon I molecular cloud. Tomorrow's picture: stairway to <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 May 25 Manicouagan Impact Crater from Space Image Credit: NASA,International Space StationExpedition 59 Explanation: Orbiting 400 kilometers above Quebec, Canada, planet Earth, theInternational Space StationExpedition 59 crew capturedthis snapshot of the broadSt. Lawrence River and curiously circular Lake Manicouagan on April 11.Right of center, the ring-shaped lake is amodern reservoirwithin the eroded remnant of an ancient 100 kilometerdiameter impact crater.The ancient crater is veryconspicuous from orbit,a visible reminder that Earth is vulnerable torocks from space.Over 200 million years old, the Manicouagan crater waslikely caused by the impact of a rocky body about5 kilometers in diameter.Currently, there is no known asteroid with a significant probability ofimpacting Earth in the next century.Each month,NASA’s Planetary DefenseCoordination Officereleases an updatefeaturing the most recent figures onnear-Earth object close approaches, and otherfacts about comets and asteroids that could pose a potential impacthazard with Earth. Tomorrow's picture: explosion on the Sun <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web...

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. 2024 May 23 Unraveling NGC 3169 Image Credit &Copyright:Christophe Vergnes,Aziz Kaeouach Explanation: Spiral galaxy NGC 3169 looks to be unraveling like a ball of cosmicyarn.It lies some 70 million light-years away,south ofbright star Regulus toward the faint constellation Sextans.Wound up spiral arms are pulled out into sweeping tidaltails as NGC 3169 (left) and neighboring NGC 3166interactgravitationally.Eventually the galaxies will merge into one,a common fate even for bright galaxies inthe local universe.Drawn out stellar arcs and plumes are clearindications of the ongoing gravitational interactionsacross the deep and colorfulgalaxygroup photo.The telescopic framespans about 20 arc minutes or about 400,000 light-yearsat the group's estimated distance, and includes smaller, bluish NGC 3165to the right.NGC 3169 is also known to shine across the spectrum fromradio to X-rays,harboringan active galactic nucleus that is thesite of a supermassive black hole. Tomorrow's picture: Chamaeleon Cloud <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation&...

APOD: 2024 May 17 - Aurora Banks Peninsula 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. 2024 May 17 Aurora Banks Peninsula Image Credit &Copyright:Kavan Chay Explanation: Thiswell-composed composite panoramic viewlooks due southfrom Banks Peninsula near Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island.The base of a tower-like rocky sea stack is awash in the foreground,with stars of the Southern Cross at the top of the frameand planet Earth's south celestial pole near center.Still, captured on May 11, vibrant aurora australis dominatethe starry southern sea and skyscape.The shimmering southern lights were part ofextensive auroral displaysthat entertained skywatchers in northern and southern hemispheresaround planet Earth, caused by intense geomagnetic storms.The extremespaceweather was triggered by theimpact ofcoronal mass ejectionslaunched from powerfulsolar active regionAR 3664. AuroraSaurus: Report your aurora observations 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: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 May 18 North Celestial Aurora Image Credit &Copyright:Chirag Upreti Explanation: Graceful star trail arcsreflect planet Earth's daily rotation in thiscolorful night skyscape.To create the timelapse composite, on May 12 consecutive exposures wererecorded with a camera fixed to a tripodon the shores of the Ashokan Reservoir,in the Catskills region of New York, USA.North starPolaris is near the center of the star trailarcs.The broad trail of a waxing crescent Moon is on the left, castinga strong reflection across the reservoir waters.Withintense solar activitydriving recentgeomagnetic storms,the colorful aurora borealis or northern lights, rare to the region,shine under Polaris and the north celestial pole. AuroraSaurus: Report your aurora observations 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: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.

APOD: 2024 May 16 - Aurora Georgia 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. 2024 May 16 Aurora Georgia Image Credit &Copyright:Wright Dobbs Explanation: A familiar sight from Georgia, USA, theMoon sets near the western horizon in this rural night skyscape.Captured on May 10before local midnight,the image overexposes the Moon's bright waxingcrescent at left in the frame.A long irrigation rig stretches across farmlandabout 15 miles north of the city of Bainbridge.Shimmering curtains of aurorashine across the starry sky,definitely an unfamiliar sight for southern Georgia nights.Last weekend, extreme geomagnetic storms triggered by the recentintense activity from solar active regionAR 3664 broughtepic displays of aurora, usually seen closer tothe poles, to southern Georgiaand even lower latitudes on planet Earth.As solar activityramps up, more storms are possible. AuroraSaurus: Report your aurora observations 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: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 May 17 Aurora Banks Peninsula Image Credit &Copyright:Kavan Chay Explanation: Thiswell-composed composite panoramic viewlooks due southfrom Banks Peninsula near Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island.The base of a tower-like rocky sea stack is awash in the foreground,with stars of the Southern Cross at the top of the frameand planet Earth's south celestial pole near center.Still, captured on May 11, vibrant aurora australis dominatethe starry southern sea and skyscape.The shimmering southern lights were part ofextensive auroral displaysthat entertained skywatchers in northern and southern hemispheresaround planet Earth, caused by intense geomagnetic storms.The extremespaceweather was triggered by theimpact ofcoronal mass ejectionslaunched from powerfulsolar active regionAR 3664. AuroraSaurus: Report your aurora observations 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: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 May 16 Aurora Georgia Image Credit &Copyright:Wright Dobbs Explanation: A familiar sight from Georgia, USA, theMoon sets near the western horizon in this rural night skyscape.Captured on May 10before local midnight,the image overexposes the Moon's bright waningcrescent at left in the frame.A long irrigation rig stretches across farmlandabout 15 miles north of the city of Bainbridge.Shimmering curtains of aurorashine across the starry skythough, definitely an unfamiliar sight for southern Georgia nights.Last weekend, extreme geomagnetic storms triggered by the recentintense activity from solar active regionAR 3664 broughtepic displays of aurora, usually seen closer tothe poles, to southern Georgiaand even lower latitudes on planet Earth.As solar activityramps up, more storms are possible. AuroraSaurus: Report your aurora observations 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: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility 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. 2024 May 14 The 37 Cluster Image Credit &Copyright:Sergio Eguivar Explanation: For the mostly harmless denizens of planet Earth, thebrighter stars of open clusterNGC 2169seem to form a cosmic37.Did you expect42?From our perspective,the improbable numericalasterismappears solely by chance.It lies at an estimated distance of 3,300 light-years toward theconstellation Orion.As far as galactic or open star clusters go,NGC 2169 is a small one, spanning about 7 light-years. Formed at the same time from the same cloud of dust and gas,the stars ofNGC 2169 are only about 11 million years old.Such clustersare expected to disperse over time as theyencounter other stars, interstellar clouds, andexperience gravitational tides while hitchhikingthroughthe galaxy.Over four billion years ago, our own Sun was likely formedin a similaropen cluster of stars. Gallery: Earth Aurora from Solar Active Region 3664 Tomorrow's picture: green space arch <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech....

APOD: 2024 May 9 - The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole 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. 2024 May 9 The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole Image Credit:NASA,JPL-Caltech,Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Explanation: Bright elliptical galaxy Messier 87 (M87)is home to thesupermassive black hole captured in 2017 by planet Earth'sEvent Horizon Telescopein the first ever image of a black hole.Giant of the Virgo galaxy cluster about 55 million light-years away,M87 is rendered in blue hues in this infraredimage from the Spitzer Space telescope. Though M87 appears mostly featureless and cloud-like,the Spitzer image does record details of relativisticjets blasting from the galaxy's central region.Shown in the inset at top right, the jets themselvesspan thousands of light-years.The brighter jet seen on theright is approaching and close to our line of sight.Opposite, the shock created by the otherwise unseen receding jetlights up a fainter arc of material.Inset at bottom right, thehistoric black hole image is shownin context at the center of giant galaxy, between the relativistic jets.Completely unresolved in the Spitzer image, thesupermassiveblack hole surrounded by infalling material is the source...

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. Simulation: Two Black Holes Merge Simulation Credit: Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Project Explanation: Relax and watch two black holes merge.Inspired by the firstdirect detection of gravitational waves in 2015,thissimulation plays in slow motion butwould take about one third of a second if run in real time.Set on a cosmic stage, the black holes are posed in front of stars, gas,and dust.Their extreme gravity lenses the lightfrom behind them intoEinstein ringsas they spiral closer and finally merge into one.The otherwise invisible gravitational waves generatedas the massive objects rapidly coalesce cause the visible imageto ripple and slosh both inside and outside theEinstein ringseven after the black holes have merged.Dubbed GW150914, the gravitational wavesdetected by LIGOare consistent with the merger of 36 and 31 solar massblack holes at a distance of 1.3 billion light-years.The final, single black hole has 63 times the mass of the Sun,with the remaining 3 solar masses converted into energy radiated ingravitationalwaves. Today's Event Horizon: It's Black Hole Week at NASA! Tomorrow's picture: What's 42-5? <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar|...

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. 2024 May 9 The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole Image Credit:NASA,JPL-Caltech,Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Explanation: Bright elliptical galaxy Messier 87 (M87)is home to thesupermassive black hole captured in 2017 by planet Earth'sEvent Horizon Telescopein the first ever image of a black hole.Giant of the Virgo galaxy cluster about 55 million light-years away,M87 is rendered in blue hues in this infraredimage from the Spitzer Space telescope. Though M87 appears mostly featureless and cloud-like,the Spitzer image does record details of relativisticjets blasting from the galaxy's central region.Shown in the inset at top right, the jets themselvesspan thousands of light-years.The brighter jet seen on theright is approaching and close to our line of sight.Opposite, the shock created by the otherwise unseen receding jetlights up a fainter arc of material.Inset at bottom right, thehistoric black hole image is shownin context at the center of giant galaxy, between the relativistic jets.Completely unresolved in the Spitzer image, thesupermassiveblack hole surrounded by infalling material is the source of enormousenergy drivingthe relativistic jets from the center of...