APOD

[Jaye]

Oh, I love Orion

[EveryNerveAware]

This isn't an APOD link, but it has a bunch of cool planetary nebula pictures... thought I'd share. Just click on a thumbnail to view pic. Enjoy!

 

http://bioch.szote.u-szeged.hu/astrojan/nebula1.htm

[rickyrob]

QUOTE (EveryNerveAware @ Mar 22 2008, 04:59 AM)

This isn't an APOD link, but it has a bunch of cool planetary nebula pictures... thought I'd share. Just click on a thumbnail to view pic. Enjoy! http://bioch.szote.u-szeged.hu/astrojan/nebula1.htm

[rickyrob]

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0804/horseregion_ssro_big.jpg

 

My favourite nebula, the Horsehead in Orion.

 

Explanation: The famous Horsehead Nebula in Orion is not alone. A deep exposure shows that the dark familiar shaped indentation, visible just below center, is part of a vast complex of absorbing dust and glowing gas. To bring out details of the Horsehead's pasture, amateur astronomers at the Star Shadow Remote Observatory in New Mexico, USA fixed a small telescope on the region for over seven hours filtering out all but a very specific color of red light emitted by hydrogen. They then added the image to a full color frame taken over three hours. The resulting spectacular picture details an intricate tapestry of gaseous wisps and dust-laden filaments that were created and sculpted over eons by stellar winds and ancient supernovas. The Horsehead Nebula lies 1,500 light years distant towards the constellation of Orion. Two stars from the Orion's Belt can be found in the above image.

[nimagraven]

Ooh. This thread is so pretty.. .

[RushRevisited]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/armpanels_phoenix.jpg

 

Explanation: What's a good recipe for preparing Martian soil? Start by filling your robot's scoop a bit less than half way. Next, dump your Martian soil into one of your TEGA ovens, being sure to watch out for clumping. Then, slowly increase the temperature to over 1000 degrees Celsius over several days. Keep checking to see when your soil becomes vaporized. Finally, your Martian soil is not ready for eating, but rather sniffing The above technique is being used by the Phoenix Lander that arrived on Mars three weeks ago. Data from the first batch of baked soil should be available in a few days. Pictured above, a circular array of the Phoenix Lander's solar panels are visible on the left, while a scoop partly filled with Martian soil is visible on the right. The robotic Phoenix Lander will spend much of the next three months digging, scooping, baking, sniffing, zapping, dissolving, and magnifying bits of Mars to help neighboring Earthlings learn more about the hydrologic and biologic possibilities of the sometimes mysterious red planet.

[sundog]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Jun 16 2008, 11:21 AM)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/armpanels_phoenix.jpg Explanation: What's a good recipe for preparing Martian soil? Start by filling your robot's scoop a bit less than half way. Next, dump your Martian soil into one of your TEGA ovens, being sure to watch out for clumping. Then, slowly increase the temperature to over 1000 degrees Celsius over several days. Keep checking to see when your soil becomes vaporized. Finally, your Martian soil is not ready for eating, but rather sniffing The above technique is being used by the Phoenix Lander that arrived on Mars three weeks ago. Data from the first batch of baked soil should be available in a few days. Pictured above, a circular array of the Phoenix Lander's solar panels are visible on the left, while a scoop partly filled with Martian soil is visible on the right. The robotic Phoenix Lander will spend much of the next three months digging, scooping, baking, sniffing, zapping, dissolving, and magnifying bits of Mars to help neighboring Earthlings learn more about the hydrologic and biologic possibilities of the sometimes mysterious red planet.

That is flipping cool!

[RushRevisited]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/ngc5907_gabany_rc800s.jpg

 

Explanation: Grand tidal streams of stars seem to surround galaxy NGC 5907. The arcing structures form tenuous loops extending more than 150,000 light-years from the narrow, edge-on spiral, also known as the Splinter or Knife Edge Galaxy. Recorded only in very deep exposures, the streams likely represent the ghostly trail of a dwarf galaxy -- debris left along the orbit of a smaller satellite galaxy that was gradually torn apart and merged with NGC 5907 over four billion years ago. Ultimately this remarkable discovery image, from a small robotic observatory in New Mexico, supports the cosmological scenario in which large spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way, were formed by the accretion of smaller ones. NGC 5907 lies about 40 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Draco.

[Daylin]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Jun 19 2008, 10:45 AM)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0806/ngc5907_gabany_rc800s.jpg Explanation: Grand tidal streams of stars seem to surround galaxy NGC 5907. The arcing structures form tenuous loops extending more than 150,000 light-years from the narrow, edge-on spiral, also known as the Splinter or Knife Edge Galaxy. Recorded only in very deep exposures, the streams likely represent the ghostly trail of a dwarf galaxy -- debris left along the orbit of a smaller satellite galaxy that was gradually torn apart and merged with NGC 5907 over four billion years ago. Ultimately this remarkable discovery image, from a small robotic observatory in New Mexico, supports the cosmological scenario in which large spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way, were formed by the accretion of smaller ones. NGC 5907 lies about 40 million light-years distant in the northern constellation Draco.

Breathtaking!

 

Hi, RR...my buddy!

Miss you!

We need to have some of these again

 

Mapquest won't lead you in the wrong direction

 

Love APOD

[missionman]

The sheer distances just blow my mind!!!

[EveryNerveAware]

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb305/EveryNerveAware/RUSH/ngc1300_hst_big.jpg

 

Explanation: Big, beautiful, barred spiral galaxy NGC 1300 lies some 70 million light-years away on the banks of the constellation Eridanus. This Hubble Space Telescope composite view of the gorgeous island universe is one of the largest Hubble images ever made of a complete galaxy. NGC 1300 spans over 100,000 light-years and the Hubble image reveals striking details of the galaxy's dominant central bar and majestic spiral arms. In fact, on close inspection the nucleus of this classic barred spiral itself shows a remarkable region of spiral structure about 3,000 light-years across. Unlike other spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way, NGC 1300 is not presently known to have a massive central black hole.

[Daylin]

QUOTE (EveryNerveAware @ Jun 22 2008, 12:22 AM)

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb305/EveryNerveAware/RUSH/ngc1300_hst_big.jpg Explanation: Big, beautiful, barred spiral galaxy NGC 1300 lies some 70 million light-years away on the banks of the constellation Eridanus. This Hubble Space Telescope composite view of the gorgeous island universe is one of the largest Hubble images ever made of a complete galaxy. NGC 1300 spans over 100,000 light-years and the Hubble image reveals striking details of the galaxy's dominant central bar and majestic spiral arms. In fact, on close inspection the nucleus of this classic barred spiral itself shows a remarkable region of spiral structure about 3,000 light-years across. Unlike other spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way, NGC 1300 is not presently known to have a massive central black hole.

I have a pin I wear on one of my coats that looks like this spiral!

 

Beautiful!

 

EveryNerveAware! Thanks, for posting!

 

[missionman]

The distances we see in a single pic are....how do I say it....mind boggling....mind blowing....how do you wrap your mind around somthing so BIIGGG??? The pix are just SOOO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The sheer SIZE of what we're looking at is just SOOO....well, you know...

 

BIG!!!!!!!

 

AWESOME, just AWESOME!!!!!!!! (there's no words...)

 

 

 

 

[RushRevisited]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/sn1006_hst.jpg

 

Explanation: What created this unusual space ribbon? Most assuredly, one of the most violent explosions ever witnessed by ancient humans. Back in the year 1006 AD, light reached Earth from a stellar explosion in the constellation of the Wolf (Lupus), creating a "guest star" in the sky that appeared brighter than Venus and lasted for over two years. The supernova, now cataloged at SN 1006, occurred about 7,000 light years away and has left a large remnant that continues to expand and fade today. Pictured above is a small part of that expanding supernova remnant dominated by a thin and outwardly moving shock front that heats and ionizes surrounding ambient gas. SN 1006 now has a diameter of nearly 60 light years. Within the past year, an even more powerful explosion occurred far across the universe that was visible to modern humans, without any optical aid, for a few seconds.

[Mara]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 18 2008, 02:57 PM)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/sn1006_hst.jpg Explanation: What created this unusual space ribbon? Most assuredly, one of the most violent explosions ever witnessed by ancient humans. Back in the year 1006 AD, light reached Earth from a stellar explosion in the constellation of the Wolf (Lupus), creating a "guest star" in the sky that appeared brighter than Venus and lasted for over two years. The supernova, now cataloged at SN 1006, occurred about 7,000 light years away and has left a large remnant that continues to expand and fade today. Pictured above is a small part of that expanding supernova remnant dominated by a thin and outwardly moving shock front that heats and ionizes surrounding ambient gas. SN 1006 now has a diameter of nearly 60 light years. Within the past year, an even more powerful explosion occurred far across the universe that was visible to modern humans, without any optical aid, for a few seconds.

This is amazing. 60 light-years across? I cannot fathom. . .

I do remember reading about the recent explosion, though. Thanks for posting. (These make great screen-savers, BTW).

[RushRevisited]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/w5wide_spitzer.jpg

 

Explanation: How do stars form? A study of star forming region W5 by the sun-orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope provides clear clues by recording that massive stars near the center of empty cavities are older than stars near the edges. A likely reason for this is that the older stars in the center are actually triggering the formation of the younger edge stars. The triggered star formation occurs when hot outflowing gas compresses cooler gas into knots dense enough to gravitationally contract into stars. Spectacular pillars, left slowly evaporating from the hot outflowing gas, provide further visual clues. In the above scientifically-colored infrared image, red indicates heated dust, while white and green indicate particularly dense gas clouds. W5 is also known as IC 1848, and together with IC 1805 form a complex region of star formation popularly dubbed the Heart and Soul Nebulas. The above image highlights a part of W5 spanning about 2,000 light years that is rich in star forming pillars. W5 lies about 6,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia.

[Daylin]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 18 2008, 02:57 PM)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/sn1006_hst.jpg Explanation: What created this unusual space ribbon? Most assuredly, one of the most violent explosions ever witnessed by ancient humans. Back in the year 1006 AD, light reached Earth from a stellar explosion in the constellation of the Wolf (Lupus), creating a "guest star" in the sky that appeared brighter than Venus and lasted for over two years. The supernova, now cataloged at SN 1006, occurred about 7,000 light years away and has left a large remnant that continues to expand and fade today. Pictured above is a small part of that expanding supernova remnant dominated by a thin and outwardly moving shock front that heats and ionizes surrounding ambient gas. SN 1006 now has a diameter of nearly 60 light years. Within the past year, an even more powerful explosion occurred far across the universe that was visible to modern humans, without any optical aid, for a few seconds.

Yay!! APOD!!

 

RR, when I read the paragraph the lights move....whew!

See what I mean, or no?

And, I've not had a drink or anything else for that matter

 

 

[Daylin]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 19 2008, 02:52 PM)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/w5wide_spitzer.jpg Explanation: How do stars form? A study of star forming region W5 by the sun-orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope provides clear clues by recording that massive stars near the center of empty cavities are older than stars near the edges. A likely reason for this is that the older stars in the center are actually triggering the formation of the younger edge stars. The triggered star formation occurs when hot outflowing gas compresses cooler gas into knots dense enough to gravitationally contract into stars. Spectacular pillars, left slowly evaporating from the hot outflowing gas, provide further visual clues. In the above scientifically-colored infrared image, red indicates heated dust, while white and green indicate particularly dense gas clouds. W5 is also known as IC 1848, and together with IC 1805 form a complex region of star formation popularly dubbed the Heart and Soul Nebulas. The above image highlights a part of W5 spanning about 2,000 light years that is rich in star forming pillars. W5 lies about 6,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia.

Looks like angel wings at the bottom

 

 

[RushRevisited]

QUOTE (Daylin @ Sep 20 2008, 12:22 AM)

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 18 2008, 02:57 PM) http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/sn1006_hst.jpg Explanation: What created this unusual space ribbon? Most assuredly, one of the most violent explosions ever witnessed by ancient humans. Back in the year 1006 AD, light reached Earth from a stellar explosion in the constellation of the Wolf (Lupus), creating a "guest star" in the sky that appeared brighter than Venus and lasted for over two years. The supernova, now cataloged at SN 1006, occurred about 7,000 light years away and has left a large remnant that continues to expand and fade today. Pictured above is a small part of that expanding supernova remnant dominated by a thin and outwardly moving shock front that heats and ionizes surrounding ambient gas. SN 1006 now has a diameter of nearly 60 light years. Within the past year, an even more powerful explosion occurred far across the universe that was visible to modern humans, without any optical aid, for a few seconds. Yay!! APOD!!   RR, when I read the paragraph the lights move....whew! See what I mean, or no? And, I've not had a drink or anything else for that matter You're right!

[Daylin]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 20 2008, 12:07 AM)

QUOTE (Daylin @ Sep 20 2008, 12:22 AM) QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 18 2008, 02:57 PM) http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/sn1006_hst.jpg Explanation: What created this unusual space ribbon? Most assuredly, one of the most violent explosions ever witnessed by ancient humans. Back in the year 1006 AD, light reached Earth from a stellar explosion in the constellation of the Wolf (Lupus), creating a "guest star" in the sky that appeared brighter than Venus and lasted for over two years. The supernova, now cataloged at SN 1006, occurred about 7,000 light years away and has left a large remnant that continues to expand and fade today. Pictured above is a small part of that expanding supernova remnant dominated by a thin and outwardly moving shock front that heats and ionizes surrounding ambient gas. SN 1006 now has a diameter of nearly 60 light years. Within the past year, an even more powerful explosion occurred far across the universe that was visible to modern humans, without any optical aid, for a few seconds. Yay!! APOD!!   RR, when I read the paragraph the lights move....whew! See what I mean, or no? And, I've not had a drink or anything else for that matter You're right!

[RushRevisited]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/seasons_tezel.jpg

 

 

Explanation: Today is an equinox, a date when day and night are equal. Tomorrow, and every day until the next equinox, the night will be longer than the day in Earth's northern hemisphere, and the day will be longer than the night in Earth's southern hemisphere. An equinox occurs midway between the two solstices, when the days and nights are the least equal. The picture is a composite of hourly images taken of the Sun above Bursa, Turkey on key days from solstice to equinox to solstice. The bottom Sun band was taken during the winter solstice in 2007 December, when the Sun could not rise very high in the sky nor stay above the horizon very long. This lack of Sun caused winter. The top Sun band was taken during the summer solstice in 2008 June, when the Sun rose highest in the sky and stayed above the horizon for more than 12 hours. This abundance of Sun caused summer. The middle band was taken during the Vernal Equinox in 2008 March, but it is the same sun band that Earthlings will see today, the day of the Autumnal Equinox.

[Lady April]

QUOTE (RushRevisited @ Sep 22 2008, 10:08 AM)

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0809/seasons_tezel.jpg Explanation: Today is an equinox, a date when day and night are equal. Tomorrow, and every day until the next equinox, the night will be longer than the day in Earth's northern hemisphere, and the day will be longer than the night in Earth's southern hemisphere. An equinox occurs midway between the two solstices, when the days and nights are the least equal. The picture is a composite of hourly images taken of the Sun above Bursa, Turkey on key days from solstice to equinox to solstice. The bottom Sun band was taken during the winter solstice in 2007 December, when the Sun could not rise very high in the sky nor stay above the horizon very long. This lack of Sun caused winter. The top Sun band was taken during the summer solstice in 2008 June, when the Sun rose highest in the sky and stayed above the horizon for more than 12 hours. This abundance of Sun caused summer. The middle band was taken during the Vernal Equinox in 2008 March, but it is the same sun band that Earthlings will see today, the day of the Autumnal Equinox.

That is really cool man Up here in the NW our Seasons are bi-polar and this year we had 2 Seasons of Winter and a Spring. Apparently, according to the new Almanac, this Winter will be the coldest and iciest in the past Century. Here's to another 2 Seasons of Winter

Happy Equinox

[RushRevisited]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0810/enceladus8_cassini.jpg

 

Explanation: What creates the unusual tiger stripes on Saturn's moon Enceladus? No one is sure. To help find out, scientists programmed the robotic Cassini spacecraft to dive right past the plume-spewing moon last week. Previously, the tiger stripe regions were found to be expelling plumes of water-ice, fueling speculation that liquid seas might occur beneath Enceladus' frozen exterior. Such seas are so interesting because they are candidates to contain extraterrestrial life. Important processes in tiger stripe formation may include heating from below and moonquakes. Visible above is terrain on Enceladus so young that only a few craters are visible. This newly released raw image shows at least one type of false artifact, however, as seeming chains of craters are not so evident in other concurrently released images of the same region. The large tiger stripe across the image middle is impressive not only for its length and breadth, but because a large internal shadow makes it also appear quite deep. Cassini will next fly by Enceladus on October 31.

[EveryNerveAware]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0810/ngc602_hst_large.jpg

 

Explanation: Near the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy some 200 thousand light-years distant,

lies 5 million year young star cluster NGC 602. Surrounded by natal gas and dust, NGC 602 is featured in this stunning

Hubble image of the region. Fantastic ridges and swept back shapes strongly suggest that energetic radiation and shock

waves from NGC 602's massive young stars have eroded the dusty material and triggered a progression of star formation

moving away from the cluster's center. At the estimated distance of the Small Magellanic Cloud, the picture spans about

200 light-years, but a tantalizing assortment of background galaxies are also visible in the sharp Hubble view.

The background galaxies are hundreds of millions of light-years or more beyond NGC 602.

 

 

[EveryNerveAware]

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0810/M42_hallasNr.jpg

 

Explanation: The Great Nebula in Orion, also known as M42, is one of the most famous nebulae in the sky. The star

forming region's glowing gas clouds and hot young stars are on the right in this sharp and colorful two frame mosaic

that includes the smaller nebula M43 near center and dusty, bluish reflection nebulae NGC 1977 and friends on the left.

Located at the edge of an otherwise invisible giant molecular cloud complex, these eye-catching nebulae represent

only a small fraction of this galactic neighborhood's wealth of interstellar material. Within the well-studied stellar nursery,

astronomers have also identified what appear to be numerous infant solar systems. The gorgeous skyscape spans nearly

two degrees or about 45 light-years at the Orion Nebula's estimated distance of 1,500 light-years.