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Key Highlights
Cometary Globule CG 4 is a molecular cloud 1,300 light-years away in the Constellation Puppis, resembling a comet with a 1.5-light-year head and 8-light-year tail. 1 post
CG 4's tail may have been shaped by a nearby supernova explosion or irradiation from hot, massive stars, pointing away from the Vela Supernova Remnant. 1 post
The edge-on spiral galaxy ESO 257-19 is over 100 million light-years beyond CG 4 and is not threatened by the globule. 1 post
Main Topics (2)
Latest posts
CG 4: The Globule and the Galaxy
CG 4: The Globule and the Galaxy Image Credit & Copyright: William Vrbasso Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Explanation: Is this a cosmic monster ready to devour an unsuspecting galaxy? Thankfully, that is not the case. The red “monster” shown in the feat
Sky Glows over Paranal Observatory
Sky Glows over Paranal Observatory Image Credit & Copyright: Julien Looten Explanation: Are lasers from giant telescopes being used to defend the Earth? No. Lasers shot from telescopes are now commonly used to help increase the accuracy of astronomical observations. In some di
The Cranium Nebula from the Webb Telescope
The Cranium Nebula from the Webb Telescope Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI) Explanation: What's going on inside the head of this nebula? Dubbed the Exposed Cranium Nebula for its similarity to the human brain, what created the nebula rema
The Aurora Tree
The Aurora Tree Image Credit & Copyright: Alyn Wallace Explanation: Yes, but can your tree do this? Pictured is a visual coincidence between the dark branches of a nearby tree and bright glow of a distant aurora. The beauty of the aurora -- combined with how it seemed to mimic
Two Eclipses of Saros 133
Two Eclipses of Saros 133 Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN), Petr Horalek / Institute of Physics in Opava / KPNO / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA Explanation: Centered on maximum eclipse, these two total lunar eclipse sequences look almost identical. Yet the one shown on top is c
The Astrosphere of HD 61005
The Astrosphere of HD 61005 Image Credit: X-ray: NASA / CXC / Johns Hopkins Univ. / C.M. Lisse et al.; Infrared: NASA / ESA / STIS; Optical: NSF / NoirLab / CTIO / DECaPS2 Processing: NASA / CXC / SAO / N. Wolk - Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Expla
Total Lunar Eclipse over Tse Bitai
Total Lunar Eclipse over Tsé Bit'a'í Image Credit & Copyright: Satoru Murata; Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Explanation: Earlier this week, Earth’s shadow swept across the full Moon in the year’s only total lunar eclipse. This stunning sequence comb
Shapley 1: An Annular Planetary Nebula
Shapley 1: An Annular Planetary Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Peter Bresseler; Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II) Explanation: What’s looking back at you isn’t a cosmic eye, but Shapley 1, a beautifully symmetric planetary nebula. Shapley 1, als
Flying over the North Pole of Mars
Flying over the North Pole of Mars Video Credit: ESA, Mars Express, VMC; Processing & License: Simeon Schmauß Explanation: If you could fly over the North Pole of Mars, what would you see? Images from ESA’s Mars Express mission in 2019 were compiled into the featured video whi
The Dusty Surroundings of Orion and the Pleiades
The Dusty Surroundings of Orion and the Pleiades Image Credit & Copyright: Ignacio Fernández Explanation: How well do you know the night sky? OK, but how well can you identify famous sky objects in a very deep image? Either way, here is a test: see if you can find some well-known
The Moon During a Total Lunar Eclipse
The Moon During a Total Lunar Eclipse Video Credit: Wang Letian & Zhang Jiajie Explanation: How does the Moon's appearance change during a total lunar eclipse? The featured time-lapse video was digitally processed to keep the Moon bright and centered during the 5-hour eclipse of
Lunar Occultation of Mercury
Lunar Occultation of Mercury Image Credit & Copyright: Fabrizio Melandri Explanation: Fans of the western sky after sunset have lately enjoyed this month's remarkable array of bright planets. Witnessed from some locations, on February 18 planet Mercury even appeared to slide behi
Sharpless 249 and the Jellyfish Nebula
Sharpless 249 and the Jellyfish Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Katelyn Beecroft Explanation: Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught in this alluring telescopic field of view. Floating in the interstellar sea, the nebula is anchored right and left by two brigh
Webb and Hubble: IC 5332
Webb and Hubble: IC 5332 Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-JWST and PHANGS-HST Teams Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II) Explanation: What does the universe look like through infrared goggles? Our eyes can only see visible light, but ast
The Egg Nebula from the Hubble Telescope
The Egg Nebula from the Hubble Telescope Image Credit & Copyright: ESA/Hubble & NASA, B. Balick (U. Washington) Explanation: Ever wonder what it would look like to crack open the Sun? The Egg Nebula, a dying Sun-like star, can unscramble this question. Pictured is a combinat
Planet Parade over Sydney Opera House
Planet Parade over Sydney Opera House Image Credit & Copyright: Prasun Agrawal Explanation: Look up this week and see a whole bunch of planets. Just after sunset, looking west (mostly), planets Mercury, Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter will all be visible to the unaided eye simult
Pleiades: The Seven Sisters Star Cluster
Pleiades: The Seven Sisters Star Cluster Image Credit & Copyright: Kamil Fiedosiuk Explanation: Have you ever seen the Pleiades star cluster? Even if you have, you probably have never seen it as large and clear as this. Perhaps the most famous star cluster on the sky, the bright st
Shadow of a Martian Robot
Shadow of a Martian Robot Image Credit: NASA, JPL, Mars Exploration Rover Mission Explanation: What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human? Then you might be the Opportunity rover exploring Mars. Opportunity explored the Red Planet from 2004 to 2018, finding evide
Twilight with Moon and Planets
Twilight with Moon and Planets Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN) Explanation: Only two days after the February New Moon's annular eclipse of the Sun, a slender lunar crescent poses near the western horizon in this wintry twilight skyscape. Its nightside faintly illumina
B93: A Dark Interstellar Ghost
B93: A Dark Interstellar Ghost Image Credit & Copyright: Christian Bertincourt; Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II) Explanation: "A ghost in the Milky Way…” says Christian Bertincourt, the astrophotographer behind this striking image of Barnard 93 (B9
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
Orion's 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