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|...
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...
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|...
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|...
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...
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.
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)...
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.
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...
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.
APOD: 2024 April 19 - The Great Carina Nebula 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 19 The Great Carina Nebula Image Credit &Copyright:Demison Lopes Explanation: A jewel of the southern sky,the GreatCarina Nebula is more modestly known as NGC 3372.One of ourGalaxy'slargest star forming regions, it spans over 300 light-years.Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the unaided eye.But at a distance of 7,500 light-years it lies some 5 times farther away.This stunning telescopic view revealsremarkable details of the region's glowing filaments of interstellar gasand obscuring cosmic dust clouds.TheCarina Nebulais home to young, extremely massive stars, includingthe still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, astar with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinaeis the bright star above the central dark notch in this field and left of thedusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324). Tomorrow's picture: diamond in the sky <| 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...
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 19 The Great Carina Nebula Image Credit &Copyright:Demison Lopes Explanation: A jewel of the southern sky,the GreatCarina Nebula is more modestly known as NGC 3372.One of ourGalaxy'slargest star forming regions, it spans over 300 light-years.Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the unaided eye.But at a distance of 7,500 light-years it lies some 5 times farther away.This stunning telescopic view revealsremarkable details of the region's glowing filaments of interstellar gasand obscuring cosmic dust clouds.TheCarina Nebulais home to young, extremely massive stars, includingthe still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, astar with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinaeis the bright star above the central dark notch in this field and left of thedusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324). Tomorrow's picture: diamond in the sky <| 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 April 18 - Facing NGC 1232 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 18 Facing NGC 1232 Image Credit &Copyright:Neil Corke Explanation: From our vantage point in theMilky Way Galaxy,we see NGC 1232 face-on.Nearly 200,000 light-years across, the big, beautifulspiral galaxyis located some 47 million light-years away in the flowing southernconstellation of Eridanus.This sharp, multi-color, telescopic imageof NGC 1232 includes remarkable details of the distant island universe.From the core outward, the galaxy'scolors change from the yellowishlight of old stars in the center to young blue starclusters and reddish star forming regions along the grand, sweepingspiral arms.NGC 1232's apparent, small, barred-spiral companion galaxyis cataloged as NGC 1232A.Distance estimates place it much farther though,around 300 million light-years away, and unlikely to beinteracting with NGC 1232. Of course, the prominent bright star with the spiky appearanceis much closer than NGC 1232 and lies well within our own Milky Way. 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...
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 18 Facing NGC 1232 Image Credit &Copyright:Neil Corke Explanation: From our vantage point in theMilky Way Galaxy,we see NGC 1232 face-on.Nearly 200,000 light-years across, the big, beautifulspiral galaxyis located some 47 million light-years away in the flowing southernconstellation of Eridanus.This sharp, multi-color, telescopic imageof NGC 1232 includes remarkable details of the distant island universe.From the core outward, the galaxy'scolors change from the yellowishlight of old stars in the center to young blue starclusters and reddish star forming regions along the grand, sweepingspiral arms.NGC 1232's apparent, small, barred-spiral companion galaxyis cataloged as NGC 1232A.Distance estimates place it much farther though,around 300 million light-years away, and unlikely to beinteracting with NGC 1232. Of course, the prominent bright star with the spiky appearanceis much closer than NGC 1232 and lies well within our own Milky Way. 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...