Aurora Banks Peninsula

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.

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North Celestial Aurora

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.

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Aurora Georgia

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.

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Aurora Banks Peninsula

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.

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Aurora Georgia

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.

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The 37 Cluster

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....

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The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole

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...

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Simulation: Two Black Holes Merge

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|...

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The Galaxy, the Jet, and a Famous Black Hole

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...

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Temperatures on Exoplanet WASP 43b

APOD: 2024 May 3 - Temperatures on Exoplanet WASP 43b 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 3 Temperatures on Exoplanet WASP-43b Illustration Credit:NASA, ESA, CSA,Ralf Crawford(STScI)Science:Taylor Bell (BAERI),Joanna Barstow (The Open University),Michael Roman (University of Leicester) Explanation: A mere 280 light-years from Earth,tidally locked, Jupiter-sized exoplanet WASP-43borbits its parent star once every 0.8 Earth days.That puts it about 2 million kilometers(less than 1/25th the orbital distance of Mercury)from a small, cool sun.Still, on a dayside always facing its parent star, temperaturesapproach a torrid 2,500 degrees F as measured atinfrared wavelengths by the MIRIinstrument on board the James Webb Space Telescope.In this illustrationof the hot exoplanet's orbit, Webbmeasurements also show nightside temperatures remain above 1,000 degrees F. That suggests that strong equatorialwinds circulate the daysideatmospheric gases to the nightside before they can completely cool off.Exoplanet WASP-43b is nowformally known asAstrolábos, and its K-type parent star has been christened Gnomon.Webb's infrared spectraindicate water vapor is present on the nightside as well asthe dayside of the planet, providing information aboutcloud cover on Astrolábos. Tomorrow's picture: a new hope <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search|...

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3 ATs

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 4 3 ATs Image Credit &Copyright:Yuri Beletsky(CarnegieLas Campanas Observatory,TWAN) Explanation: Despite their resemblance toR2D2,these three are not the droids you're looking for.Instead, the enclosures house 1.8 meterAuxiliary Telescopes(ATs) at Paranal Observatory in theAtacama Desertregion of Chile.The ATs are designed to be usedfor interferometry,a technique for achieving extremely high resolution observations,in concert with the observatory's 8 meterVery Large Telescope units.A total of four ATs are operational, eachfitted with a transporterthat movesthe telescope along a track allowing different arrays with the large unittelescopes.To work as an interferometer, the light from each telescopeis brought to a common focal point by a systemof mirrors in underground tunnels.Above these three ATs, the Large and SmallMagellanic Cloudsare the far, far away satellite galaxies of our own Milky Way.In the clear and otherwise dark southern skies,planet Earth's greenish atmosphericairglow stretches faintlyalong the horizon. Tomorrow's picture: death by black hole <| 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...

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M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy

APOD: 2024 May 2 - M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy 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 2 M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy Image Credit &Copyright:Drew Evans Explanation: Majestic on a truly cosmic scale, M100 is appropriately known as a grand design spiral galaxy. The large galaxy of over 100 billion stars haswell-defined spiral arms, similar to our own Milky Way. One of the brightest members of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, M100,also known as NGC 4321 is 56 million light-years distant toward the well-groomed constellationComa Berenices. In this telescopic image, the face-on grand design spiral shares a nearly 1 degree wide field-of-view with slightly less conspicuousedge-on spiral NGC 4312 (at upper right).The 21 hour long equivalent exposure from a dark sky site nearFlagstaff, Arizona, planet Earth,reveals M100's bright blue star clusters and intricate winding dust lanes which are hallmarks of this class of galaxies. Measurements of variable stars in M100 have played an important role in determining the size and age of the Universe. Tomorrow's picture: cloudy exoplanet <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD|...

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Temperatures on Exoplanet WASP 43b

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 3 Temperatures on Exoplanet WASP-43b Illustration Credit:NASA, ESA, CSA,Ralf Crawford(STScI)Science:Taylor Bell (BAERI),Joanna Barstow (The Open University),Michael Roman (University of Leicester) Explanation: A mere 280 light-years from Earth,tidally locked, Jupiter-sized exoplanet WASP-43borbits its parent star once every 0.8 Earth days.That puts it about 2 million kilometers(less than 1/25th the orbital distance of Mercury)from a small, cool sun.Still, on a dayside always facing its parent star, temperaturesapproach a torrid 2,500 degrees F as measured atinfrared wavelengths by the MIRIinstrument on board the James Webb Space Telescope.In this illustrationof the hot exoplanet's orbit, Webbmeasurements also show nightside temperatures remain above 1,000 degrees F. That suggests that strong equatorialwinds circulate the daysideatmospheric gases to the nightside before they can completely cool off.Exoplanet WASP-43b is nowformally known asAstrolábos, and its K-type parent star has been christened Gnomon.Webb's infrared spectraindicate water vapor is present on the nightside as well asthe dayside of the planet, providing information aboutcloud cover on Astrolábos. Tomorrow's picture: a new hope <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD|...

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M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy

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 2 M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy Image Credit &Copyright:Drew Evans Explanation: Majestic on a truly cosmic scale, M100 is appropriately known as a grand design spiral galaxy. The large galaxy of over 100 billion stars haswell-defined spiral arms, similar to our own Milky Way. One of the brightest members of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, M100,also known as NGC 4321 is 56 million light-years distant toward the well-groomed constellationComa Berenices. In this telescopic image, the face-on grand design spiral shares a nearly 1 degree wide field-of-view with slightly less conspicuousedge-on spiral NGC 4312 (at upper right).The 21 hour long equivalent exposure from a dark sky site nearFlagstaff, Arizona, planet Earth,reveals M100's bright blue star clusters and intricate winding dust lanes which are hallmarks of this class of galaxies. Measurements of variable stars in M100 have played an important role in determining the size and age of the Universe. Tomorrow's picture: cloudy exoplanet <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert...

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Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy

APOD: 2024 April 26 - Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy 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 April 26 Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy Image Credit &Copyright:Markus Horn Explanation: In northern hemisphere spring,bright star Regulus is easy to spot above the eastern horizon.The alpha star of the constellation Leo, Regulus is the spiky starcentered in thistelescopic field of view.A mere 79 light-years distant,Regulusis ahot, rapidly spinning starthat is known to be part of a multiple star system.Not quite lost in the glare, the fuzzy patch just below Regulusis diffuse starlight from small galaxy Leo I.Leo I is adwarf spheroidal galaxy,a member of the Local Groupof galaxies dominated by ourMilky Way Galaxyand the Andromeda Galaxy(M31).About 800 thousand light-years away, Leo Iis thought to be the most distant of theknown small satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way.But dwarf galaxy Leo I has shownevidenceof a supermassive black holeat its center, comparable in mass to the black hole at the centerof the Milky Way. Tomorrow's picture: all around eclipse <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU)...

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All Sky Moon Shadow

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 April 27 All Sky Moon Shadow Image Credit &Copyright:Tunc Tezel(TWAN) Explanation: If the Sun is upbut the sky is dark and the horizon is bright all around,you might be standing in the Moon's shadow during a total eclipse ofthe Sun.In fact, the all-sky Moon shadow shown in thiscomposited panoramic view was capturedfrom a farm near Shirley, Arkansas, planet Earth.The exposures were made under clear skies during theApril 8 total solar eclipse.For that location near the center line of the Moon's shadow track,totality lasted over 4 minutes.Along with the solar corona surrounding thesilhouette of the Moonplanets and stars were visible during the total eclipse phase.Easiest to see hereare bright planets Venus and Jupiter, to the lower rightand upper left of the eclipsed Sun. Tomorrow's picture: rings around the ring <| 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.

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Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy

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 April 26 Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy Image Credit &Copyright:Markus Horn Explanation: In northern hemisphere spring,bright star Regulus is easy to spot above the eastern horizon.The alpha star of the constellation Leo, Regulus is the spiky starcentered in thistelescopic field of view.A mere 79 light-years distant,Regulusis ahot, rapidly spinning starthat is known to be part of a multiple star system.Not quite lost in the glare, the fuzzy patch just below Regulusis diffuse starlight from small galaxy Leo I.Leo I is adwarf spheroidal galaxy,a member of the Local Groupof galaxies dominated by ourMilky Way Galaxyand the Andromeda Galaxy(M31).About 800 thousand light-years away, Leo Iis thought to be the most distant of theknown small satellite galaxies orbiting the Milky Way.But dwarf galaxy Leo Ihas shownevidenceof a supermassive black holeat its center, comparable in mass to the black hole at the centerof the Milky Way. Tomorrow's picture: all around eclipse <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific...

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NGC 604: Giant Stellar Nursery

APOD: 2024 April 25 - NGC 604: Giant Stellar Nursery 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 April 25 NGC 604: Giant Stellar Nursery Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA,STScI Explanation: Located some 3 million light-years away in the arms of nearby spiralgalaxy M33,giant stellar nurseryNGC 604 isabout 1,300 light-years across.That's nearly 100 times the size of the Milky Way'sOrion Nebula, the closest large star formingregion to planet Earth.In fact, among the star forming regions within the Local Group ofgalaxies, NGC 604 is second in size only to 30 Doradus,also known asthe Tarantula Nebula in theLarge Magellanic Cloud.Cavernous bubbles and cavities in NGC 604fill this stunning infrared image from theJames Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam.They are carved out by energetic stellar windsfrom the region'smore than 200 hot, massive, young stars, all still in earlystages of their lives. Tomorrow's picture: Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy <| 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.

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NGC 604: Giant Stellar Nursery

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 April 25 NGC 604: Giant Stellar Nursery Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA,STScI Explanation: Located some 3 million light-years away in the arms of nearby spiralgalaxy M33,giant stellar nurseryNGC 604 isabout 1,300 light-years across.That's nearly 100 times the size of the Milky Way'sOrion Nebula, the closest large star formingregion to planet Earth.In fact, among the star forming regions within the Local Group ofgalaxies, NGC 604 is second in size only to 30 Doradus,also known asthe Tarantula Nebula in theLarge Magellanic Cloud.Cavernous bubbles and cavities in NGC 604fill this stunning infrared image from theJames Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam.They are carved out by energetic stellar windsfrom the region'smore than 200 hot, massive, young stars, all still in earlystages of their lives. Tomorrow's picture: Regulus and the Dwarf Galaxy <| 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.

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Diamonds in the Sky

Diamonds in the Sky

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