Hubble spies huge clusters of stars formed by ancient encounter
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope snapped this view of the heart of the galaxy M82. The image was taken in infrared light with the telescope's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). Hubble peered through thick dust lanes to find some of the galaxy's more than 100 super...
Colliding galaxies NGC 4038 and NGC 4039
This is a close-up view of a head-on collision between two spiral galaxies, called the Antennae galaxies. The image is 1,500 light-years across. The image shows entrapped dust and gas funneled into the centre of the galaxy.
The metamorphosis of Messier 8
Like a Dali masterpiece, this image of Messier 8 from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is both intensely colourful and distinctly surreal. Located in the constellation of Sagittarius (The Archer), this giant cloud of glowing interstellar gas is a stellar nursery that is also known as the...
Globular cluster NGC 6752
This image, taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows a part of the globular cluster NGC 6752. The observations were made to study white dwarfs within it and to use these stars to measure the age of the globular cluster. Analysing the data, astronomers discovered a previously...
Wide-field view of the Meathook Galaxy
This picture of the Meathook Galaxy (NGC 2442) was taken by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla, Chile. It shows a much broader view than the Hubble image, although less detailed. This view includes the whole galaxy and the surrounding sky, and clearly shows the...
A star Makes a billowy exit
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope snapped this striking image of an aging star whose outer layers of gas have blown off into space. These gases glow in the fierce ultraviolet glare from the hot, small remnant of the star at the cloud's centre. This object, which is designated NGC 6741, also...
Uranus 2005
Uranus as seen by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 2005.
The Spiral Galaxy M 100
An image of the grand design spiral galaxy Messier 100 obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope resolves individual stars within the majestic spiral arms. Messier 100 (100th object in the Messier catalog of non-stellar objects) is a face-on spiral galaxy. It is a rotating system of gas and...
Palomars view on iPTF16geu
The Palomar Observatory, located on Palomar Mountain, California, created this wide-field view of the night sky. In the lower central part of the image scientists discovered a supernova explosion, being lensed by a foreground galaxy.
Wide field image of star cluster Messier 15 (ground-based view)
This image, from the Digitized Sky Survey 2, shows the sky around Messier 15, one of the oldest and densest globular clusters known.
Wide-field view of Messier 66 (ground-based image)
This wide-field image of the sky around the spiral galaxy Messier 66 was created from photographs forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2. Located about 35 million light-years away from Earth, this galaxy is about 100 000 light-years across. The field of view is approximately 3.0 by 2.2...
Stingray Nebula and SAO 244567
This image of the Stingray nebula, a planetary nebula 2700 light-years from Earth, was taken with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2) in 1998. In the centre of the nebula the fast evolving star SAO 244567 is located. Observations made within the last 45 years showed that the surface...
Hubble and Magellan composite image of Messier 83
This view of Messier 83 shows new Hubble data combined with ground-based data from the Giant Magellan Telescope, which shows a wider field of view so the whole galaxy is visible.
Hubble ACS SWEEPS field
Hubble ACS SWEEPS field.
ACS image of ESO 306-17
This image from the Advanced Camera for Surveys aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope highlights the large and bright elliptical galaxy called ESO 306-17 in the southern sky. In this image, it appears that ESO 306-17 is surrounded by other galaxies but the bright galaxies at bottom left...
Hubble's view of Hickson Compact Group 31
These four dwarf galaxies waited billions of years to come together, setting off a fireworks show as thousands of new star clusters come to life. The distorted galaxies are quickly producing massive, hot, young stars that are pumping out ultraviolet radiation, heating up surrounding gas clouds,...
ACS image of Messier 30
This brilliant image of Messier 30 (M 30) was taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Messier 30 formed 13 billion years ago and was discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. Located about 28 000 light-years away from Earth, this globular cluster a dense swarm of several hundred...
Hickson Compact Group 31: interacting galaxies glow with millions of young stars
These four dwarf galaxies waited billions of years to come together, setting off a fireworks show as thousands of new star clusters come to life. The distorted galaxies are quickly producing massive, hot, young stars that are pumping out ultraviolet radiation, heating up surrounding gas clouds,...
Double light show in a single shot: Hubble images both of Saturn's aurorae
An enormous and grand ringed planet, Saturn is certainly one of the most intriguing bodies orbiting the Sun. This unique Hubble image from early 2009 features Saturn with the rings edge-on and both poles in view, offering a stunning double view of its fluttering aurorae. Created by the...
061-401
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 061-401 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
109-327
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 109-327 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. This tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
202-228
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 202-228 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
177-341E
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 177-341E is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. The tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
180-331
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 180-331 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. This tadpole-shaped proplyds tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
Digitized Sky Survey Image of NGC 4755 (ground-based image)
A wide-field image of the region around NGC 4755 constructed from the data from Digitized Sky Survey 2. The bright star is Mimosa, one of the main four stars in the Southern Cross. The darkness towards the bottom of the image is part of the Coal Sack, a vast area of obscuring dust easily...
154-240
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 154-240 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. This tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
231-838
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 231-838 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. Resembling a boomerang, this proplyd is surrounded by a shock wave that is caused by stellar wind from the massive Theta 1...
159-338
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 159-338 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. This tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
205-421
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 205-421 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. The tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
177-541
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 177-541 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
142-301
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 142-301 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. This tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
170-249
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 170-249 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. The tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
203-506
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 203-506 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
141-520
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 141-520 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. Resembling a tiny jellyfish, this proplyd is surrounded by a shock wave that is caused by stellar wind from the massive Theta...
110-3035
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 110-3035 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
198-222
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 198-222 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. The tadpole-shaped tail is actually a jet of matter flowing away from the excited cusp.
124-132
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 124-132 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. This proplyd is surrounded by a shock wave that is caused by stellar wind from the massive Theta 1 Orionis C interacting with...
473-245
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 473-245 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
294-606
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 294-606 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
131-247
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 131-247 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
132-1832
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 132-1832 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
171-340
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 171-340 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
109-246
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 109-246 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
347-1535
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 347-1535 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
106-417
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 106-417 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. Resembling a boomerang, this proplyd is surrounded by a shock wave that is caused by stellar wind from the massive Theta 1...
206-446
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 206-446 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. Resembling a head with a ponytail extending from it, this proplyds strange shape can be attributed to a jet of matter flowing...
181-825
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 181-825 is one of the bright proplyds that lies relatively close to the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C. Resembling a tiny jellyfish, this proplyd is surrounded by a shock wave that is caused by stellar wind from the massive Theta...
165-254
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 294-606 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
Hubble sees oldest galaxies yet
In 2004, Hubble created the deepest visible-light image of the Universe and now, with its brand-new camera, Hubble is seeing even farther in the same region. Hubble's newly installed Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) collects light from near-infrared wavelengths and therefore looks even deeper,...
090-326
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 090-326 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
321-602
One of 42 new proplyds discovered in the Orion Nebula, 321-602 is one of the dark proplyds that lies relatively far from the nebulas brightest star, Theta 1 Orionis C.
Galactic centre region in near-infrared from Hubble
Although best known for its visible-light images, the Hubble Space Telescope also observes over a limited range of infrared light. The galactic centre is marked by the bright patch in the lower right. Along the left side are large arcs of warm gas that have been heated by clusters of bright...
Hubble looks at sideways NGC 4710 (full)
Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in spiral galaxies led astronomers to the edge-on galaxy NGC 4710. When staring directly at the centre of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X'-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a "boxy" or...
Galactic centre region in X-rays from Chandra
X-rays detected by the Chandra X-ray Observatory expose a wealth of exotic objects and high-energy features. In this image, pink represents lower energy X-rays and blue indicates higher energy. Hundreds of small dots show emission from material around black holes and other dense stellar...
Hubble and other Great Observatories examine the galactic centre region
In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and its companion Great Observatories: the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory have collaborated to produce an unprecedented image of the central region of our Milky Way galaxy....
Galactic centre region in infrared from Spitzer
The Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared-light observations provide a detailed and spectacular view of the galactic centre region. The swirling core of our galaxy harbours hundreds of thousands of stars that cannot be seen in visible light. These stars heat the nearby gas and dust. These dusty...
Ground-based image of M83 Taken at ESO in La Silla, Chile
This is an image of the galaxy M83, taken by the European Southern Observatory's Wide Field Imager on the ESO/MPG 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla, Chile.
Wide field image of the Jewel Box (ground-based image)
This image of the well-known NGC 4755 cluster or Jewel Box was taken with the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory. It highlights the cluster and its rich surroundings in all their multicoloured glory. The field of view is 20 arcminutes...
A snapshot of the Jewel Box cluster with the ESO VLT
The FORS1 instrument on the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) at ESO's Paranal Observatory was used to take this exquisitely sharp close up view of the colourful Jewel Box cluster, NGC 4755. The telescopes huge mirror allowed very short exposure times: just 2.6 seconds through a blue filter, 1.3...
A Hubble gem: the Jewel Box
This image is a "close-up' view from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope of NGC 4755, or the Jewel Box cluster. Several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly coloured stars are visible in the image, as well as many much...
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