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Key Highlights
Stars are being born in Orion's stellar nurseries, located at the edge of the giant Orion molecular cloud complex about 1,500 light-years away. 1 post
The detailed view spans about 12 degrees across the center of the constellation Orion, featuring the Great Orion Nebula, Flame Nebula, and Horsehead Nebula. 1 post
Image data acquired with a hydrogen-alpha filter reveals pervasive tendrils of energized atomic hydrogen gas and portions of Barnard's Loop. 1 post
Main Topics (2)
Latest posts
IC 2574: Coddington s Nebula
IC 2574: Coddington's Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Dane Vetter Explanation: Grand spiral galaxies often seem to get all the glory, flaunting their young, bright, blue star clusters in beautiful, symmetric spiral arms. But small, irregular galaxies form stars too. In fact, d
Orions Cradle
Orion's Cradle Image Credit & Copyright: Piotr Czerski Explanation: Cradled in red-glowing hydrogen gas, stars are being born in Orion. These stellar nurseries lie at the edge of the giant Orion molecular cloud complex, some 1,500 light-years away. This detailed view spans abou
Tails of Comet Wierzchoś
Tails of Comet Wierzchoś Image Credit & Copyright: José J. Chambó; Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Explanation: Some comets are regular guests of our solar neighborhood; others come by only once, never to return. We won’t have another chance to see Co
Unexplained Shocks Around a White Dwarf Star
Unexplained Shocks Around a White Dwarf Star Image Credit: ESO, K. Iłkiewicz & S. Scaringi et al.; Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Explanation: How is RXJ0528+2838 creating such shock waves? A recently discovered white dwarf star, the farther left of the two
To Fly Free in Space
To Fly Free in Space Image Credit: NASA, STS-41B Explanation: What would it be like to fly free in space? About 100 meters from the cargo bay of a space shuttle, Bruce McCandless II was living the dream -- floating farther out than anyone had ever been before. Guided by a Man
Roses are Red
Roses are Red Image Credit & Copyright: Raffaele Calcagno Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II) Explanation: Roses are red, nebulas are too, and this Valentine's gift is a stunning view! Pictured is a loving look at the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237): a c
NGC 147 and NGC 185
NGC 147 and NGC 185 Image Credit & Copyright: Chuck Ayoub Explanation: Dwarf galaxies NGC 147 (left) and NGC 185 stand side by side in this deep telescopic portrait. The two are not-often-imaged satellite galaxies of M31, the great spiral Andromeda Galaxy, some 2.5 million light-y
The Bay of Rainbows
The Bay of Rainbows Image Credit & Copyright: Olaf Filzinger Explanation: Dark, smooth regions that cover the Moon's familiar face are called by Latin names for oceans and seas. That naming convention is historical, though it may seem a little ironic to denizens of the space age
A Year of Sunspots
A Year of Sunspots Image Credit: NASA, SDO; Processing & Copyright: Şenol Şanli & Uğur İkizler; Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Explanation: How many sunspots can you see? The central image shows the many sunspots that occurred in 2025, month by month a
In Green Company: Aurora over Norway
In Green Company: Aurora over Norway Image Credit & Copyright: Max Rive Explanation: Raise your arms if you see an aurora. With those instructions, two nights went by with, well, clouds -- mostly. On the third night of returning to same peaks, though, the sky not only cleared up
Miranda Revisited
Miranda Revisited Image Credit: NASA, JPL, Voyager 2; Processing & License: Flickr: zelario12; Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II) Explanation: What is Miranda really like? Visually, old images from NASA's Voyager 2 have been recently combined and
Active Sunspot Region 4366 Crosses the Sun
Active Sunspot Region 4366 Crosses the Sun Image Credit & Copyright: Daniel Korona Explanation: An unusually active sunspot region is now crossing the Sun. The region, labelled AR 4366, is much larger than the Earth and has produced several powerful solar flares over the past t
Crescent Enceladus
Crescent Enceladus Image Credit: Cassini Imaging Team, SSI, JPL, ESA, NASA Explanation: Peering from the shadows, the Saturn-facing hemisphere of tantalizing inner moon Enceladus poses in this Cassini spacecraft image. North is up in the dramatic scene captured during Novembe
Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A
Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; D. Milisavljevic (Purdue University), T. Temim (Princeton University), I. De Looze (University of Gent) Explanation: Massive stars in our Milky Way Galaxy live spectacular lives. Collapsing from vast cosmic
NGC 1275 in the Perseus Cluster
NGC 1275 in the Perseus Cluster Image Credit & Copyright: Michal Wierzbinski, Hellas-Sky Explanation: Active galaxy NGC 1275 is the central, dominant member of the large and relatively nearby Perseus Cluster of Galaxies. Wild-looking at visible wavelengths, the active galaxy is a
Spiral Galaxy NGC 1512: Wide Field
Spiral Galaxy NGC 1512: Wide Field Image Credit & Copyright: Daniel Stern Explanation: Most galaxies don't have any rings -- why does this galaxy have three? To begin, a ring that's near NGC 1512's center -- and so hard to see here -- is the nuclear ring which glows brightly w
Red Spider Planetary Nebula from Webb
Red Spider Planetary Nebula from Webb Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. H. Kastner (RIT) Explanation: Oh what a tangled web a planetary nebula can weave. The Red Spider Planetary Nebula shows the complex structure that can result when a normal star ejects its outer gases a
Orion: The Running Man Nebula
Orion: The Running Man Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Robert G. Lyons (Robservatory) Explanation: What part of Orion is this? Just north of the famous Orion Nebula is a picturesque star forming region in Orion's Sword that contains a lot of intricate dust -- some of which
Galle: Happy Face Crater on Mars
Galle: Happy Face Crater on Mars Image Credit: NASA, MGS, MSSS Explanation: Mars has put on a happy face. The Martian crater Galle is famous because it has internal markings that make it look like a face that is both smiling and winking. These markings were originally dis
Artemis I: Flight Day 13
Artemis I: Flight Day 13 Image Credit: NASA, Artemis I Explanation: On flight day 13 (November 28, 2022) of the Artemis 1 mission, the Orion spacecraft reached its maximum distance from Earth. At over 430,000 kilometers from Earth, its distant retrograde orbit also puts Orion near
NGC 1333: Stellar Nursery in Perseus
NGC 1333: Stellar Nursery in Perseus Image Credit & Copyright: Robert Eder Explanation: NGC 1333 is seen in visible light as a reflection nebula, dominated by bluish hues characteristic of starlight reflected by interstellar dust. A mere 1,000 light-years distant toward the heroic
NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans
NGC 2442: Galaxy in Volans Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby Explanation: Distorted galaxy NGC 2442 can be found in the southern constellation of the flying fish, (Piscis) Volans. Located about 50 million light-years away, the galaxy's two spiral arms extending from a pronounc
M78: Reflecting Blue in a Sea of Red
M78: Reflecting Blue in a Sea of Red Image Credit & Copyright: Daniel McCauley Explanation: In the vast Orion Molecular Cloud complex, several bright blue nebulas are particularly apparent. Pictured here in the center are two of the most prominent reflection nebulas - dust clou
Orions Treasures over Snowy Mountains
Orion's Treasures over Snowy Mountains Image Credit & Copyright: Włodzimierz Bubak; Text: Ogetay Kayali (MTU) Explanation: Rising over a frozen valley in the Tatra Mountains, the familiar stars and nebulas of Orion dominate this wide-field nightscape. The featured deep photo w
NGC 55: A Galaxy of Nebulas
NGC 55: A Galaxy of Nebulas Image Credit & Copyright: Wolfgang Promper; Text: Ogetay Kayali (MTU) Explanation: Can you see nebulas in other galaxies? Yes, some nebulas shine brightly enough -- if you know how to look. Clouds of hydrogen and oxygen emit light at very speci