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Gallipoli by Peter Weir, 1981

Gallipoli by Peter Weir, 1981

DIL4050652

Gallipoli by Peter Weir, 1981

Gallipoli by Peter Weir, 1981

DIL4050653

The cluster of galaxies in Fornax - The cluster of galaxies in Fornax - clusters of galaxies situated about 55 million years ago - light. In the center of the image is the barree spiral galaxy NGC 1365; at the bottom right of the image, the interaction galaxy NGC 1316 - 17 (Fornax A), which is one of the strongest known radiosource. Galaxies can be separated by their appearance into two broad groups, spirals and ellipticals. An example of a spiral galaxy, NGC 1365, is seen in center of this picture. In contrast, most of the galaxies in this cluster are ellipticals, which contain little or no gas or evidence of star formation; indeed they are composed millions of rather old, yellowish stars. Unlike many of the stars in spiral systems, those in ellipticals have orbits which are not confined to a narrow plane, so the galaxy can have a shape anywhere between a perfect sphere and an American football. This kind of galaxy is the most common type in the photograph as it is in all of the nearb

The cluster of galaxies in Fornax - The cluster of galaxies in Fornax - clusters of galaxies situated about 55 million years ago - light. In the center of the image is the barree spiral galaxy NGC 1365; at the bottom right of the image, the interaction galaxy NGC 1316 - 17 (Fornax A), which is one of the strongest known radiosource. Galaxies can be separated by their appearance into two broad groups, spirals and ellipticals. An example of a spiral galaxy, NGC 1365, is seen in center of this picture. In contrast, most of the galaxies in this cluster are ellipticals, which contain little or no gas or evidence of star formation; indeed they are composed millions of rather old, yellowish stars. Unlike many of the stars in spiral systems, those in ellipticals have orbits which are not confined to a narrow plane, so the galaxy can have a shape anywhere between a perfect sphere and an American football. This kind of galaxy is the most common type in the photograph as it is in all of the nearb

PIX4565370

Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Unicorn - Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Monoceros - Trumpler 5 is a cluster of stars aged 125 million years. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope As they age, open clusters of stars begin to lose their identity. This is partly because the brighter members tend to self - destruct as supernovae, and, though the group members share a common motion through space, they are only loosely bound. Thus stars drift away from the cluster in a process that accelerates with time. However, some clusters are big enough to retain their identity much longer than usual, and Trumpler 5 is one such. Its age is estimated to be 125 million years, and it must have been a spectacular sight in its youth. It seems to be at the edge of the Monoceros molecular cloud, where star formation is continuing new generations of young clusters

Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Unicorn - Open cluster Trumpler 5 in Monoceros - Trumpler 5 is a cluster of stars aged 125 million years. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope As they age, open clusters of stars begin to lose their identity. This is partly because the brighter members tend to self - destruct as supernovae, and, though the group members share a common motion through space, they are only loosely bound. Thus stars drift away from the cluster in a process that accelerates with time. However, some clusters are big enough to retain their identity much longer than usual, and Trumpler 5 is one such. Its age is estimated to be 125 million years, and it must have been a spectacular sight in its youth. It seems to be at the edge of the Monoceros molecular cloud, where star formation is continuing new generations of young clusters

PIX4569009

Open Cluster of Pleiades - The Pleiades star cluster - The Pleiades cluster is a cluster of about 500 young stars nees 150 million years ago. Visible in the constellation Taurus, this cluster is 440 years from the Earth. The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years from Earth in the northern constellation of Taurus and has been recognised since ancient times. Seven of the brightest stars are quite easy to see with the unaided eye and bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas. The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust into which the cluster has drifted. It appears blue because these tiny interstellar particles scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space

Open Cluster of Pleiades - The Pleiades star cluster - The Pleiades cluster is a cluster of about 500 young stars nees 150 million years ago. Visible in the constellation Taurus, this cluster is 440 years from the Earth. The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years from Earth in the northern constellation of Taurus and has been recognised since ancient times. Seven of the brightest stars are quite easy to see with the unaided eye and bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas. The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust into which the cluster has drifted. It appears blue because these tiny interstellar particles scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space

PIX4568732

Open Cluster of Pleiades - The Pleiades star cluster - The Pleiades cluster is a cluster of about 500 young stars nees 150 million years ago. Visible in the constellation Taurus, this cluster is 440 years from the Earth. The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years from Earth in the northern constellation of Taurus and has been recognised since ancient times. Seven of the brightest stars are quite easy to see with the unaided eye and bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas. The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust into which the cluster has drifted. It appears blue because these tiny interstellar particles scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space

Open Cluster of Pleiades - The Pleiades star cluster - The Pleiades cluster is a cluster of about 500 young stars nees 150 million years ago. Visible in the constellation Taurus, this cluster is 440 years from the Earth. The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years from Earth in the northern constellation of Taurus and has been recognised since ancient times. Seven of the brightest stars are quite easy to see with the unaided eye and bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas. The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust into which the cluster has drifted. It appears blue because these tiny interstellar particles scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space

PIX4568741

Cometary blood cell CG4 in the stern - CG4, a cometary blood cell in Puppis - Cometary blood cells are small clouds of isolated gases. The latter, called CG4, is located about 1300 light years ago in the constellation of Pupus. Its head is 1.5 years light and its tail extends for 8 years. This cloud is a star-forming region. A spiral galaxy seen by the slice (ESO 257 - 19) is visible at the top left. It is located 100 million years later. The odd looking “” creature”” to the right of center in the above photo is a gas cloud known as a cometary globule.This globule, however, has ruptured. Cometary globules are typically characterized by dusty heads and elongated tails. These features cause cometary globules to have visual similarities to comets, but in reality they are very much different. Cometary globules are frequently the birthplaces of stars, and many show very young stars in their heads. The reason for the rupture in the head of this object is not completely known. The galaxy to t

Cometary blood cell CG4 in the stern - CG4, a cometary blood cell in Puppis - Cometary blood cells are small clouds of isolated gases. The latter, called CG4, is located about 1300 light years ago in the constellation of Pupus. Its head is 1.5 years light and its tail extends for 8 years. This cloud is a star-forming region. A spiral galaxy seen by the slice (ESO 257 - 19) is visible at the top left. It is located 100 million years later. The odd looking “” creature”” to the right of center in the above photo is a gas cloud known as a cometary globule.This globule, however, has ruptured. Cometary globules are typically characterized by dusty heads and elongated tails. These features cause cometary globules to have visual similarities to comets, but in reality they are very much different. Cometary globules are frequently the birthplaces of stars, and many show very young stars in their heads. The reason for the rupture in the head of this object is not completely known. The galaxy to t

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Nebula IC 2220 in the Carene - A mass - loss star in IC 2220 - This nebula is illuminated by a giant red star, the star HD 65670. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The bright, supergiant star at the centre of this nebula is known only by its catalog designation, HD 65750. The nebulosity around the star is the result of light reflected by dust surrounding it. The dust is thought to consist mainly of particles of silica condensed from material which the star is losing from its distended surface at a fairly steady rate. The rate of mass loss is much higher than in normal stars and is sufficient to produce the reflection nebula IC 2220. The stellar nature of the central object is revealed by the four diffraction spikes extending from it. These are artifacts due to structures within the telescope. The light from the star has also produced the annular halation ring (a photographic artefact) that ornaments the nebula. These features, real or otherwise, have provoked the name '

Nebula IC 2220 in the Carene - A mass - loss star in IC 2220 - This nebula is illuminated by a giant red star, the star HD 65670. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The bright, supergiant star at the centre of this nebula is known only by its catalog designation, HD 65750. The nebulosity around the star is the result of light reflected by dust surrounding it. The dust is thought to consist mainly of particles of silica condensed from material which the star is losing from its distended surface at a fairly steady rate. The rate of mass loss is much higher than in normal stars and is sufficient to produce the reflection nebula IC 2220. The stellar nature of the central object is revealed by the four diffraction spikes extending from it. These are artifacts due to structures within the telescope. The light from the star has also produced the annular halation ring (a photographic artefact) that ornaments the nebula. These features, real or otherwise, have provoked the name '

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Nebula IC 2220 in the Carene - The IC 2220, nebula, deep image - This nebula is illuminated by a large red star, the star HD 65670. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Many stars lose a substantial part of their mass as they age. The more massive the star, the greater the fraction of their substance is lost. Much material is ejected by intense stellar winds driven from the surface of extremely hot stars and the mass loss is often only detectable in the stellar spectrum. In cooler stars temperatures may be low enough for elements or simple compounds to form solid grains in the star's outer atmosphere. This is seen as dust, and sometimes there is enough to reflect the light of the star within. As is often the case with stellar outflows, the IC 2220 reflection nebula is bipolar, hinting at conditions near the surface of the central star

Nebula IC 2220 in the Carene - The IC 2220, nebula, deep image - This nebula is illuminated by a large red star, the star HD 65670. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Many stars lose a substantial part of their mass as they age. The more massive the star, the greater the fraction of their substance is lost. Much material is ejected by intense stellar winds driven from the surface of extremely hot stars and the mass loss is often only detectable in the stellar spectrum. In cooler stars temperatures may be low enough for elements or simple compounds to form solid grains in the star's outer atmosphere. This is seen as dust, and sometimes there is enough to reflect the light of the star within. As is often the case with stellar outflows, the IC 2220 reflection nebula is bipolar, hinting at conditions near the surface of the central star

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Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. This picture was made without unsharp masking. Unsharp masking emphasises the smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell, which are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance). These radial streaks give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) in Aquarius - Planetary nebula Helix (NGC 7293) - This nebula is located 690 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope This faint object is the nearest planetary nebula to the Sun and on deep photographs has a diameter of about half a degree - - the same apparent size as the Sun in the sky. The AAT colour picture shows the brighter parts of the nebula, revealing various ionization levels within the shell of matter ejected from the central star. This picture was made without unsharp masking. Unsharp masking emphasises the smallest of the radial blobs inside the red shell, which are about 150 astronomical units across (150 times the Earth - Sun distance). These radial streaks give this beautiful object its alternative name, the Sunflower Nebula. The Helix is about 400 light years away, or about 100 times more distant than the nearest stars

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Planetary nebula NGC 1360 in the Furnace - NGC 1360, the diffuse planetary nebula in Fornax - Image obtained by Siding Spring Planetary nebulae 3.9m telescope usually have well - defined boundaries, sometimes even a shell - like structure. For reasons that are not understood, NGC 1360 defies all these conventions, yet its colour still clearly identifies it as a planetary nebula. The green hue is oxygen, excited by the hot central star, and to the north - east of the nebula is a faint red smudge, probably traces of material ejected before the star became a true planetary nebula

Planetary nebula NGC 1360 in the Furnace - NGC 1360, the diffuse planetary nebula in Fornax - Image obtained by Siding Spring Planetary nebulae 3.9m telescope usually have well - defined boundaries, sometimes even a shell - like structure. For reasons that are not understood, NGC 1360 defies all these conventions, yet its colour still clearly identifies it as a planetary nebula. The green hue is oxygen, excited by the hot central star, and to the north - east of the nebula is a faint red smudge, probably traces of material ejected before the star became a true planetary nebula

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Planetary nebula NGC 6302 in the Scorpio - This nebula is located about 4000 light years from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Sprin's 3.9m telescope

Planetary nebula NGC 6302 in the Scorpio - This nebula is located about 4000 light years from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Sprin's 3.9m telescope

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Orion M78 Nebula - The M78 Nebula (NGC 2068) is located about 1600 years of light from Earth and extends over 4 years of light. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope

Orion M78 Nebula - The M78 Nebula (NGC 2068) is located about 1600 years of light from Earth and extends over 4 years of light. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope

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Around the Tarantula Nebula - Around the Tarantula nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud - The Tarantula Nebula (or 30 Bream) is the largest star-forming region of the Great Magellan Cloud. It is located 170,000 light years ago in the constellation Dorado (southern hemisphere). At the center of this nebula, the open cluster of R136 stars, clusters of hot and massive stars. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. In this picture we see the eastern end of the Large Magellanic Cloud where lies one of the most active star formation regions known. If this enormous complex of stars, gas and dust were at the distance of the better - known Orion Nebula the brightest parts of it would visible during the day and would cover a quarter of the sky at night. While the Orion Nebula contains a mere handful of the hot blue stars which energise it, the Tarantula nebula has spawned many thousands in the bright central region, which surrounds a compact, brilliant cluster known

Around the Tarantula Nebula - Around the Tarantula nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud - The Tarantula Nebula (or 30 Bream) is the largest star-forming region of the Great Magellan Cloud. It is located 170,000 light years ago in the constellation Dorado (southern hemisphere). At the center of this nebula, the open cluster of R136 stars, clusters of hot and massive stars. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. In this picture we see the eastern end of the Large Magellanic Cloud where lies one of the most active star formation regions known. If this enormous complex of stars, gas and dust were at the distance of the better - known Orion Nebula the brightest parts of it would visible during the day and would cover a quarter of the sky at night. While the Orion Nebula contains a mere handful of the hot blue stars which energise it, the Tarantula nebula has spawned many thousands in the bright central region, which surrounds a compact, brilliant cluster known

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Tarantula (NGC 2070) in the LMC - The nebula around 30 Doradus (NGC 2070) in the LMC - The Tarantula Nebula (or 30 Bream) is the largest star-forming region of the Great Magellan Cloud. It is located 170,000 light years ago in the constellation Dorado (southern hemisphere). At the center of this nebula, the open cluster of R136 stars, clusters of hot and massive stars. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The brightest cluster of stars in this picture was believed until recently to contain a single, uniquely massive object with the mass equivalent to 1000 suns, and was named as a star, 30 Doradus. Sophisticated image analysis techniques have been used to show that 30 Doradus is a very compact group of stars, many of which are massive, but not unimaginably so. The radiation from this star cluster is sufficient to excite a huge cloud of hydrogen gas in its vicinity so that it glows with its distinctive red colour. This picture is essentially a one minute exposure. A longer

Tarantula (NGC 2070) in the LMC - The nebula around 30 Doradus (NGC 2070) in the LMC - The Tarantula Nebula (or 30 Bream) is the largest star-forming region of the Great Magellan Cloud. It is located 170,000 light years ago in the constellation Dorado (southern hemisphere). At the center of this nebula, the open cluster of R136 stars, clusters of hot and massive stars. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The brightest cluster of stars in this picture was believed until recently to contain a single, uniquely massive object with the mass equivalent to 1000 suns, and was named as a star, 30 Doradus. Sophisticated image analysis techniques have been used to show that 30 Doradus is a very compact group of stars, many of which are massive, but not unimaginably so. The radiation from this star cluster is sufficient to excite a huge cloud of hydrogen gas in its vicinity so that it glows with its distinctive red colour. This picture is essentially a one minute exposure. A longer

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Nebulae of the horse's head and M42 in Orion - Horsehead and Orion nebulae - Dark Nebula of the horse's head (IC434 - B33). Further down, the large Orion nebula (M42) vast star-forming region. These nebulae are located 1500 years of light from Earth. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt telescope of Siding Spring. This wide - angle picture of the Orion region has been made to reveal the extensive network of very faint filaments which are traceable over most of the constellation. These faint features are optical evidence of a substantial dark cloud of molecular gas and dust which dominate at radio wavelengths. Where hot stars are closely associated with the molecular cloud, a bright nebula appears. By far the most conspicuous of these is the Orion Nebula, M42. This spectacular object is so bright that its light is reflected from filaments of the dark cloud some distance away. In contrast, the wisps of the Horsehead Nebula are much fainter but even here faint tendrils of nebulosity show

Nebulae of the horse's head and M42 in Orion - Horsehead and Orion nebulae - Dark Nebula of the horse's head (IC434 - B33). Further down, the large Orion nebula (M42) vast star-forming region. These nebulae are located 1500 years of light from Earth. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt telescope of Siding Spring. This wide - angle picture of the Orion region has been made to reveal the extensive network of very faint filaments which are traceable over most of the constellation. These faint features are optical evidence of a substantial dark cloud of molecular gas and dust which dominate at radio wavelengths. Where hot stars are closely associated with the molecular cloud, a bright nebula appears. By far the most conspicuous of these is the Orion Nebula, M42. This spectacular object is so bright that its light is reflected from filaments of the dark cloud some distance away. In contrast, the wisps of the Horsehead Nebula are much fainter but even here faint tendrils of nebulosity show

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NGC 2264, S Monocerotis, Hubble Nebula and Trumpler 5 clusters - NGC 2261, 2264, the Cone nebula and Trumpler 5 - The Cone nebula on the left is a region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star on the top left is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. On the right, an open cluster of stars, Trumpler 5. Downstairs in the center, the Hubble nebula. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt telescope of Siding Spring. The western end of the large constellation of Monoceros crossed by the Galactic plane and so is rich in the ingredients of star formation. Only five degrees south (not shown) is the beautiful Rosette nebula, also close to the Galactic plane. To the east (left) is the outline of the dark Cone nebula with its distinctive bright tip, apparently pointing to the star S Mon at the top (north) of the photograph. All around is faint nebulosity, hinting at star formation in the region. Around the dusty red nebula there are areas where the light from background s

NGC 2264, S Monocerotis, Hubble Nebula and Trumpler 5 clusters - NGC 2261, 2264, the Cone nebula and Trumpler 5 - The Cone nebula on the left is a region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star on the top left is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. On the right, an open cluster of stars, Trumpler 5. Downstairs in the center, the Hubble nebula. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt telescope of Siding Spring. The western end of the large constellation of Monoceros crossed by the Galactic plane and so is rich in the ingredients of star formation. Only five degrees south (not shown) is the beautiful Rosette nebula, also close to the Galactic plane. To the east (left) is the outline of the dark Cone nebula with its distinctive bright tip, apparently pointing to the star S Mon at the top (north) of the photograph. All around is faint nebulosity, hinting at star formation in the region. Around the dusty red nebula there are areas where the light from background s

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Nebula NGC 2359 in the Big Dog - A Wolf - Rayet star in NGC 2359 - NGC 2359 is a nebula in the Big Dog that houses a star Wolf - Rayet, HD 56925. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 2359 is the nebula produced by a single, extremely hot star HD 56925. This is one of the rare Wolf - Rayet stars, whose intrinsic brilliance is combined with high rates of mass loss from its surface. This material is ejected from the star with velocities which approach 2000 kilometers per second. This violent activity quickly reduces the mass of the star which in turn reduces the instability. The rapidly - moving ejected material interacts with the gas and dust around the star producing the cosmic bubble seen here. Such stars are unusual, largely because extreme behaviour of this kind cannot be sustained for long. This particular example is spectacular because it happens to inhabit a part of our Galaxy rich in interstellar gas

Nebula NGC 2359 in the Big Dog - A Wolf - Rayet star in NGC 2359 - NGC 2359 is a nebula in the Big Dog that houses a star Wolf - Rayet, HD 56925. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 2359 is the nebula produced by a single, extremely hot star HD 56925. This is one of the rare Wolf - Rayet stars, whose intrinsic brilliance is combined with high rates of mass loss from its surface. This material is ejected from the star with velocities which approach 2000 kilometers per second. This violent activity quickly reduces the mass of the star which in turn reduces the instability. The rapidly - moving ejected material interacts with the gas and dust around the star producing the cosmic bubble seen here. Such stars are unusual, largely because extreme behaviour of this kind cannot be sustained for long. This particular example is spectacular because it happens to inhabit a part of our Galaxy rich in interstellar gas

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Nebulae NGC 3603 and NGC 3576 in Carene - NGC 3576 and 3603 in Carina - NGC 3576 (right) is located about 7000 years - light from Earth; NGC 3603 (left) is twice as far away. These two nebulae are located in the constellation Carene. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. These two star - formation regions appear side by side in the sky and seem to be linked as parts of an extensive nebula. However, the apparent intimacy is line - of - sight effect because these two objects are at quite different distances from the Sun. The curious looped nebula NGC 3576 is about 7000 light years from us while its neighbour NGC 3603 is more than twice as far away. That NGC 3603 is the more distant is confirmed by its colour, which is a ruddier red than the pinkish hue of NGC 3576. The change in colour is due to absorption of the blue - light component of the nebulosity by dust particles in the much longer line of sight. This effect is known as interstellar reddening, though it would be bette

Nebulae NGC 3603 and NGC 3576 in Carene - NGC 3576 and 3603 in Carina - NGC 3576 (right) is located about 7000 years - light from Earth; NGC 3603 (left) is twice as far away. These two nebulae are located in the constellation Carene. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. These two star - formation regions appear side by side in the sky and seem to be linked as parts of an extensive nebula. However, the apparent intimacy is line - of - sight effect because these two objects are at quite different distances from the Sun. The curious looped nebula NGC 3576 is about 7000 light years from us while its neighbour NGC 3603 is more than twice as far away. That NGC 3603 is the more distant is confirmed by its colour, which is a ruddier red than the pinkish hue of NGC 3576. The change in colour is due to absorption of the blue - light component of the nebulosity by dust particles in the much longer line of sight. This effect is known as interstellar reddening, though it would be bette

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Eagle Nebula (IC 4703) and M16 star cluster in the Snake - Eagle nebula in Serpens - The Eagle Nebula is a cluster of massive young stars (M16) surrounded by clouds of gas and dust. The three columns in the center of the image were sculpted by the intense radiation emitted by these massive stars. Stars will be born in these clouds if they survive the intense radiation that erodes these pillars. Messier 16 is a cluster of young stars which formed about 2 million years ago from the gas and dust which still surrounds them. Brilliant blue stars of this type are much hotter than the Sun and can be up to thirty times more massive. The dark intrusions visible across the face of the nebula are condensations of dusty material which might one day collapse into yet more stars, should they survive the radiation from the bright stars, which is gradually etching them away. Bright red regions of photo - ionised hydrogen such as M16 are usually found in the spiral arms of galaxies and are often associ

Eagle Nebula (IC 4703) and M16 star cluster in the Snake - Eagle nebula in Serpens - The Eagle Nebula is a cluster of massive young stars (M16) surrounded by clouds of gas and dust. The three columns in the center of the image were sculpted by the intense radiation emitted by these massive stars. Stars will be born in these clouds if they survive the intense radiation that erodes these pillars. Messier 16 is a cluster of young stars which formed about 2 million years ago from the gas and dust which still surrounds them. Brilliant blue stars of this type are much hotter than the Sun and can be up to thirty times more massive. The dark intrusions visible across the face of the nebula are condensations of dusty material which might one day collapse into yet more stars, should they survive the radiation from the bright stars, which is gradually etching them away. Bright red regions of photo - ionised hydrogen such as M16 are usually found in the spiral arms of galaxies and are often associ

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Nebula Trifide (M20) in the constellation Sagittarius - Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius - View of the Trifide nebula (M20/NGC 6514) located in the constellation Sagittarius between 5000 and 10,000 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The spectacular Trifid nebula (Messier 20) is one of the best known in the sky. It is a striking mixture of brilliant red light emitted from excited hydrogen gas and the soft blue glow of a reflection nebula. The blue arises from starlight, scattered by dust particles between the stars. The size of the particles is minute, similar to those of smoke, which also has a bluish hue. However, the scattered light is not a pure blue, and if we see it through a medium that is yellow (i.e. absorbs blue light) some green colouration remains. This effect can be seen in some of the darker parts of the faint reflection nebula that surrounds the Trifid, where partial absorption of light by foreground dust provides a yellow 'filte

Nebula Trifide (M20) in the constellation Sagittarius - Trifid nebula (M20) in Sagittarius - View of the Trifide nebula (M20/NGC 6514) located in the constellation Sagittarius between 5000 and 10,000 years - light from Earth. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The spectacular Trifid nebula (Messier 20) is one of the best known in the sky. It is a striking mixture of brilliant red light emitted from excited hydrogen gas and the soft blue glow of a reflection nebula. The blue arises from starlight, scattered by dust particles between the stars. The size of the particles is minute, similar to those of smoke, which also has a bluish hue. However, the scattered light is not a pure blue, and if we see it through a medium that is yellow (i.e. absorbs blue light) some green colouration remains. This effect can be seen in some of the darker parts of the faint reflection nebula that surrounds the Trifid, where partial absorption of light by foreground dust provides a yellow 'filte

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Region near the Omega nebula (M17) in Sagittarius - Area near Omega nebula (M17) in Sagittarius - Region around the Omega nebula. Under the nebula, the cluster of stars M18, towards the middle, the group of stars M24, at the bottom of the picture the nebulae NGC 6589 - 90 and IC 1283 - 4. A little below the bright red emission nebula M17 is M18, a group of stars which is only conspicuous because, like M17, it is set in a relatively dark region of the Milky Way. The rich cloud of stars more or less in the middle of the photograph was listed by Messier as number 24 in his catalogue and it contains the open cluster NGC 6603, while towards the bottom of this field is a small group of nebulosities, the two blue reflection nebulae NGC 6589 - 90 and the emission nebulae IC 1283 - 4

Region near the Omega nebula (M17) in Sagittarius - Area near Omega nebula (M17) in Sagittarius - Region around the Omega nebula. Under the nebula, the cluster of stars M18, towards the middle, the group of stars M24, at the bottom of the picture the nebulae NGC 6589 - 90 and IC 1283 - 4. A little below the bright red emission nebula M17 is M18, a group of stars which is only conspicuous because, like M17, it is set in a relatively dark region of the Milky Way. The rich cloud of stars more or less in the middle of the photograph was listed by Messier as number 24 in his catalogue and it contains the open cluster NGC 6603, while towards the bottom of this field is a small group of nebulosities, the two blue reflection nebulae NGC 6589 - 90 and the emission nebulae IC 1283 - 4

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Southern Crown Nebula - The CRA reflection nebula - R Coronae Australis is a region of star formations visible in the southern hemisphere. It is located about 500 light years away from Earth. On the right, the globular cluster NGC 6723, located 30 000 light years from Earth in Sagittarius. Image made with the 1.2m Telescope of Schmidt UK from Siding Spring. Corona Australis (the southern crown, CRA) is in the far southern sky but visible from the southern states of the USA. The constellation is small but distinctive. The conspicuous globular cluster NGC 6723 is at the western (right) edge of the photograph, but it is in Sagittarius, and is about 30,000 light years distant. Almost all the nebulosity here is starlight, reflected from minute grains of dust, some of which gather into darker condensations ('molecular clouds'), blotting out the background stars. Fainter features can be seen here. Shiny NGC 6726 - 27 near middle of image contains both a visual binary and a variable star. Othe

Southern Crown Nebula - The CRA reflection nebula - R Coronae Australis is a region of star formations visible in the southern hemisphere. It is located about 500 light years away from Earth. On the right, the globular cluster NGC 6723, located 30 000 light years from Earth in Sagittarius. Image made with the 1.2m Telescope of Schmidt UK from Siding Spring. Corona Australis (the southern crown, CRA) is in the far southern sky but visible from the southern states of the USA. The constellation is small but distinctive. The conspicuous globular cluster NGC 6723 is at the western (right) edge of the photograph, but it is in Sagittarius, and is about 30,000 light years distant. Almost all the nebulosity here is starlight, reflected from minute grains of dust, some of which gather into darker condensations ('molecular clouds'), blotting out the background stars. Fainter features can be seen here. Shiny NGC 6726 - 27 near middle of image contains both a visual binary and a variable star. Othe

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Nebula N70 in the Great Magellan Cloud - The N 70 nebula in Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - The Henize 70 nebula extends for about 400 years - light, it is located in the Great Magellan Cloud. In the center, a small group of very massive and extremely hot stars, stars of Wolf - Rayet. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. At the centre of this remarkable bubble - like nebula nebula is a small group of extremely hot stars. Some of these stars are rapdly losing mass and have stellar winds blowing from their surfaces with velocities that approach 4000 kilometers per second. Such stars are known as Wolf - Rayet stars and are found in galaxies capable of forming massive stars. There are many such stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) but not all of them are associated with distinctive nebulae. The outward flowing streams of energetic particles from Wolf - Rayet (and other energetic stars) eventually interact with the relatively stationary interstellar medium pervading the LMC

Nebula N70 in the Great Magellan Cloud - The N 70 nebula in Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - The Henize 70 nebula extends for about 400 years - light, it is located in the Great Magellan Cloud. In the center, a small group of very massive and extremely hot stars, stars of Wolf - Rayet. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. At the centre of this remarkable bubble - like nebula nebula is a small group of extremely hot stars. Some of these stars are rapdly losing mass and have stellar winds blowing from their surfaces with velocities that approach 4000 kilometers per second. Such stars are known as Wolf - Rayet stars and are found in galaxies capable of forming massive stars. There are many such stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) but not all of them are associated with distinctive nebulae. The outward flowing streams of energetic particles from Wolf - Rayet (and other energetic stars) eventually interact with the relatively stationary interstellar medium pervading the LMC

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Nebula N55 in the Great Magellan Cloud - Henize 55 (NGC 2014) is a star-forming region located north of the Great Magellan Cloud. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope

Nebula N55 in the Great Magellan Cloud - Henize 55 (NGC 2014) is a star-forming region located north of the Great Magellan Cloud. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope

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Nebuleuse Barnard 86 & open cluster NGC 6520 - Dark nebula Barnard 86 and open cluster NGC 6520 - NGC 6520, is a cluster of young stars, aged a few million years. To its right is the dark nebula, Barnard 86, a cloud of molecular gas and dust, very cold, in which these stars have become formed. In the background, the billions of years old stars of Sagittarius. NGC 6520 is a small cluster of young blue stars. In the same region is a dark cloud, Barnard 86. The cluster and cloud are probably associated and the dust is visible only because it blocks out light from the myriads of stars beyond. On the distant background, old yellowish stars in Sagittarius are visible in vast numbers

Nebuleuse Barnard 86 & open cluster NGC 6520 - Dark nebula Barnard 86 and open cluster NGC 6520 - NGC 6520, is a cluster of young stars, aged a few million years. To its right is the dark nebula, Barnard 86, a cloud of molecular gas and dust, very cold, in which these stars have become formed. In the background, the billions of years old stars of Sagittarius. NGC 6520 is a small cluster of young blue stars. In the same region is a dark cloud, Barnard 86. The cluster and cloud are probably associated and the dust is visible only because it blocks out light from the myriads of stars beyond. On the distant background, old yellowish stars in Sagittarius are visible in vast numbers

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Antares star and the nebula Rho Ophiuchi - Antares and Rho Ophiuchi cloud - This coloree nebula represents the visible part of a very large molecule cloud, the cloud of Ophiuchus. This star-forming region is about 520 years old - light. The brightest star at the bottom left is the star Antares, from the Scorpio. The triple star Rho Ophiuchus is located in the middle of the blue cloud at the top of the picture. On the right, surrounded by a nebula, the star Sigma Scorpii. The globular clusters M4 (at the bottom of the image) and NGC 6144 (near Antares) are also visible on this image obtained with the UK Schmidt telescope of 1.2m. This photograph shows a portion of a great swath of obscuring gas and dust in the constellations Ophiuchus and Scorpius, and illustrates what is probably the most colourful region in the entire sky. The almost garish colours are due to the brilliance and contrasting colours of the stars, by whose reflected light we see the dust clouds. Dominating the picture is

Antares star and the nebula Rho Ophiuchi - Antares and Rho Ophiuchi cloud - This coloree nebula represents the visible part of a very large molecule cloud, the cloud of Ophiuchus. This star-forming region is about 520 years old - light. The brightest star at the bottom left is the star Antares, from the Scorpio. The triple star Rho Ophiuchus is located in the middle of the blue cloud at the top of the picture. On the right, surrounded by a nebula, the star Sigma Scorpii. The globular clusters M4 (at the bottom of the image) and NGC 6144 (near Antares) are also visible on this image obtained with the UK Schmidt telescope of 1.2m. This photograph shows a portion of a great swath of obscuring gas and dust in the constellations Ophiuchus and Scorpius, and illustrates what is probably the most colourful region in the entire sky. The almost garish colours are due to the brilliance and contrasting colours of the stars, by whose reflected light we see the dust clouds. Dominating the picture is

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Planetary Nebula of the Red Rectangle in the Unicorn - The Red Rectangle, AFGL 915 - This planetary nebula is located about 2300 years ago - light. Image from Siding Spring 3.9m Telescope This surprising object is one of an unusual class of nebulae surrounding mature, sun - like stars that are about to turn into planetary nebulae. Not all pre - planetary nebulae have outbursts like this, and in those that do, the nebula lasts only a few thousand years, hence the rarity. The central star has a thick belt of dust like a girdle around its equator which restricts outflow in that direction. Instead, the star ejects material in a kind of cone from each of its poles. The spectrum of the nebula shows unusual, strong red lines from hydrogen bonded to grains of carbon, however there is sufficient light reflected from the embedded star to dilute the strong red spectrum to the deep yellow we see here

Planetary Nebula of the Red Rectangle in the Unicorn - The Red Rectangle, AFGL 915 - This planetary nebula is located about 2300 years ago - light. Image from Siding Spring 3.9m Telescope This surprising object is one of an unusual class of nebulae surrounding mature, sun - like stars that are about to turn into planetary nebulae. Not all pre - planetary nebulae have outbursts like this, and in those that do, the nebula lasts only a few thousand years, hence the rarity. The central star has a thick belt of dust like a girdle around its equator which restricts outflow in that direction. Instead, the star ejects material in a kind of cone from each of its poles. The spectrum of the nebula shows unusual, strong red lines from hydrogen bonded to grains of carbon, however there is sufficient light reflected from the embedded star to dilute the strong red spectrum to the deep yellow we see here

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Orion's Nebula - The Great Nebula in Orion - Located 1500 years ago - light, Orion's Nebula is the closest region of star formation in the Sun. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. To the eye, the nebula appears as a misty patch around the central star of the line of three which form Orion's sword. Binoculars or a modest telescope will show that these three 'stars' are loose groups of several individuals some of which can be seen in this photograph. The central group of stars, the Trapezium cluster is hidden in the glow of the Orion Nebula in this photograph, but these stars are responsible for producing the nebula. It is the high concentration of dust and gas in this part of the sky which has resulted in the formation of the stars, so the Orion nebula is no random association of bright stars and dusty gas. At a distance of 1500 light years, the Orion nebula is the nearest star - forming region to the Sun

Orion's Nebula - The Great Nebula in Orion - Located 1500 years ago - light, Orion's Nebula is the closest region of star formation in the Sun. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. To the eye, the nebula appears as a misty patch around the central star of the line of three which form Orion's sword. Binoculars or a modest telescope will show that these three 'stars' are loose groups of several individuals some of which can be seen in this photograph. The central group of stars, the Trapezium cluster is hidden in the glow of the Orion Nebula in this photograph, but these stars are responsible for producing the nebula. It is the high concentration of dust and gas in this part of the sky which has resulted in the formation of the stars, so the Orion nebula is no random association of bright stars and dusty gas. At a distance of 1500 light years, the Orion nebula is the nearest star - forming region to the Sun

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Circumpolar - hemisphere sud - Star trails around the south celestial pole - 10h30 photographic installation on 400 ISO film around the south celeste pole. Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope dome in the foreground. By pointing a camera towards the south (or to the north in the northern hemisphere) at night, we can record the paths of stars which never set. They appear to circle the apparent position of the Earth's axis of rotation projected on the sky. The elevation of this position above the local horizon indicates our local geographical latitude, about 30 degrees south at Siding Spring. The angle swept out by the arcs is an indication of the exposure time, which was about 10.5 hours on 400 ISO colour film. This kind of exposure is only possible from an extremely dark site

Circumpolar - hemisphere sud - Star trails around the south celestial pole - 10h30 photographic installation on 400 ISO film around the south celeste pole. Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope dome in the foreground. By pointing a camera towards the south (or to the north in the northern hemisphere) at night, we can record the paths of stars which never set. They appear to circle the apparent position of the Earth's axis of rotation projected on the sky. The elevation of this position above the local horizon indicates our local geographical latitude, about 30 degrees south at Siding Spring. The angle swept out by the arcs is an indication of the exposure time, which was about 10.5 hours on 400 ISO colour film. This kind of exposure is only possible from an extremely dark site

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Comete of Halley - Halley's comet - View on April 10, 1986

Comete of Halley - Halley's comet - View on April 10, 1986

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Halley Comete - Halley's Comet on December 9, 1985 - Halley Comete December 9, 1985

Halley Comete - Halley's Comet on December 9, 1985 - Halley Comete December 9, 1985

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Supernova 1987A - Supernova 1987A - Image of the Supernova 1987A, obtained on March 8, 1987 with the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. Sometime during 23 February 1987 a supernova exploded in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a nearby galaxy. However, the LMC is about 170,000 light years distant, so the supernova exploded 170,000 years ago. It was discovered the following day and brightened rapidly to become the first supernova to be easily visible to the unaided eye for almost 400 years. This photograph shows the field around the site of the supernova in great detail about 10 days afterwards, when it was still brightening

Supernova 1987A - Supernova 1987A - Image of the Supernova 1987A, obtained on March 8, 1987 with the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. Sometime during 23 February 1987 a supernova exploded in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a nearby galaxy. However, the LMC is about 170,000 light years distant, so the supernova exploded 170,000 years ago. It was discovered the following day and brightened rapidly to become the first supernova to be easily visible to the unaided eye for almost 400 years. This photograph shows the field around the site of the supernova in great detail about 10 days afterwards, when it was still brightening

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Tarantula nebula before the appearance of supernova 1987A - The Tarantula Nebula, before supernova SN1987A - Tarantula Nebula photographed in 1984. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. By great good fortune, the star (Sanduleak - 69* 202) which exploded as the supernova, had been observed some years previously and was found to be a typical young, bluish star, much hotter and brighter than stars like the Sun. There are many similar stars in this part of the LMC which is dominated by the spectacular red cloud of the Tarantula Nebula. It in such nebulae that stars are formed, often in compact groups such as those scattered across this photograph, which was taken in 1984

Tarantula nebula before the appearance of supernova 1987A - The Tarantula Nebula, before supernova SN1987A - Tarantula Nebula photographed in 1984. Image obtained with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. Supernova 1987A appeared in the constellation Doradus on February 23, 1987. By great good fortune, the star (Sanduleak - 69* 202) which exploded as the supernova, had been observed some years previously and was found to be a typical young, bluish star, much hotter and brighter than stars like the Sun. There are many similar stars in this part of the LMC which is dominated by the spectacular red cloud of the Tarantula Nebula. It in such nebulae that stars are formed, often in compact groups such as those scattered across this photograph, which was taken in 1984

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Remnants of the Supernova of Sails - The Vela Supernova Remnant - Remnant of the Supernova of Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago and is approximately 815 light years away from Earth. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. About 120 centuries ago an inconspicuous star in what is now the constellation of Vela brightened by about 100 million times to rival the Moon as the brightest object in the night sky. This photograph shows a portion of the north - western quadrant of an expanding nebulous shell, which now surrounds the site of the explosion. Near the centre of the nebula (and not seen here) is the Vela pulsar, a rapidly - spinning neutron star only a few kilometres in diameter, the remnant of the star that exploded. This tiny object spins about 11 times a second and until recently was among the faintest stars ever studied at optical wavelengths, a far cry from its brief glory as one of the brightest stars ever seen

Remnants of the Supernova of Sails - The Vela Supernova Remnant - Remnant of the Supernova of Sails. The supernova exploded 12,000 years ago and is approximately 815 light years away from Earth. Image obtained with the 1.2m Schmidt UK Telescope from Siding Spring. About 120 centuries ago an inconspicuous star in what is now the constellation of Vela brightened by about 100 million times to rival the Moon as the brightest object in the night sky. This photograph shows a portion of the north - western quadrant of an expanding nebulous shell, which now surrounds the site of the explosion. Near the centre of the nebula (and not seen here) is the Vela pulsar, a rapidly - spinning neutron star only a few kilometres in diameter, the remnant of the star that exploded. This tiny object spins about 11 times a second and until recently was among the faintest stars ever studied at optical wavelengths, a far cry from its brief glory as one of the brightest stars ever seen

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Spiral galaxy M100 in Berenice's Hair - Spiral galaxy M100 in Coma Berenices - The spiral galaxy M100 (NGC 4321) is located about 60 million years ago - light from Earth. It belongs to the Virgin's galaxy cluster. Above the galaxy a dwarf elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This dominant galaxy is the face - on spiral M100, one of the finest spirals in the Virgo cluster. As might be expected in a galaxy - rich environment, the lack of perfect symmetry in its brightest spiral arms suggests that M100 has been disturbed by gravitational interaction with its neighbours. At the top of the image is the first colour picture of a much less spectacular galaxy, a so - called 'nucleated dwarf' elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. Dwarf galaxies are by far the commonest kind in rich clusters such as this, but nucleated examples are quite rare

Spiral galaxy M100 in Berenice's Hair - Spiral galaxy M100 in Coma Berenices - The spiral galaxy M100 (NGC 4321) is located about 60 million years ago - light from Earth. It belongs to the Virgin's galaxy cluster. Above the galaxy a dwarf elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This dominant galaxy is the face - on spiral M100, one of the finest spirals in the Virgo cluster. As might be expected in a galaxy - rich environment, the lack of perfect symmetry in its brightest spiral arms suggests that M100 has been disturbed by gravitational interaction with its neighbours. At the top of the image is the first colour picture of a much less spectacular galaxy, a so - called 'nucleated dwarf' elliptical galaxy, probably interacting with M100. Dwarf galaxies are by far the commonest kind in rich clusters such as this, but nucleated examples are quite rare

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Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - NGC 5078 is a spiral galaxy located about 95 million years ago - light. A small galaxy, IC 879, at the bottom of the picture, is probably interacting with it. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 5078 is a lenticular (lens - shaped) galaxy crossed by a distinct dusty band which is seen against the bright background of the galaxy itself. The dust lane is warped and broadened, probably by interaction with the faint companion galaxy IC 879, which is itself distorted into an 'S' shape by the interaction. The slightly bluish colour of parts of the fainter galaxy is suggestive of star formation, probably triggered by the interaction. Encounters between galaxies such as this are common, and often lead to them merging into a single entity. It is likely that the dust lane of NGC 5078 is the remnant of a dusty spiral which fell into it long ago. The galaxies are about 80 million light years distant

Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - Galaxies NGC 5078 and IC 879 in Hydra - NGC 5078 is a spiral galaxy located about 95 million years ago - light. A small galaxy, IC 879, at the bottom of the picture, is probably interacting with it. Image made with Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. NGC 5078 is a lenticular (lens - shaped) galaxy crossed by a distinct dusty band which is seen against the bright background of the galaxy itself. The dust lane is warped and broadened, probably by interaction with the faint companion galaxy IC 879, which is itself distorted into an 'S' shape by the interaction. The slightly bluish colour of parts of the fainter galaxy is suggestive of star formation, probably triggered by the interaction. Encounters between galaxies such as this are common, and often lead to them merging into a single entity. It is likely that the dust lane of NGC 5078 is the remnant of a dusty spiral which fell into it long ago. The galaxies are about 80 million light years distant

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Irregular Galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud (NGC 292) - The Small Magellanic Cloud - The galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud is about 240,000 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Toucan. It's one of the closest galaxies of the Lactee Way. Upstairs, the cluster of stars NGC 362. Image obtained by the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescope from Siding Spring, Australia. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the second nearest galaxy to the Milky Way, (the LMC being the nearest) and is at the distance of about 240,000 light years, quite close enough for it to be resolved into individual stars on this colour picture made from plates taken on the UK Schmidt Telescope. The shape of the SMC defies description and it is therefore classified as an 'irregular' galaxy. The small globular cluster at the top of the picture is NGC 362. It is about 30,000 light years distant

Irregular Galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud (NGC 292) - The Small Magellanic Cloud - The galaxy of the Little Magellan Cloud is about 240,000 light years from Earth in the southern constellation of Toucan. It's one of the closest galaxies of the Lactee Way. Upstairs, the cluster of stars NGC 362. Image obtained by the 1.2m UK Schmidt telescope from Siding Spring, Australia. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is the second nearest galaxy to the Milky Way, (the LMC being the nearest) and is at the distance of about 240,000 light years, quite close enough for it to be resolved into individual stars on this colour picture made from plates taken on the UK Schmidt Telescope. The shape of the SMC defies description and it is therefore classified as an 'irregular' galaxy. The small globular cluster at the top of the picture is NGC 362. It is about 30,000 light years distant

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Spiral galaxy M65 in the Lion - Spiral galaxy M65 in Leo - M65 (NGC 3623), and its neighbors M66 and NGC 3628, form a triplet of galaxies, called the Lion Triplet or the Group of M66, located at a distance of about 35 million years - light. M65 is a spiral galaxy of type Sa. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring M65 is a spiral galaxy of type Sa in the constellation Leo. At a distance of about 35 million light - years, M65 apparently forms a triplet with its neighbors M66 and NGC 3628. Image obtained with the 3,9m telescope of Siding Spring

Spiral galaxy M65 in the Lion - Spiral galaxy M65 in Leo - M65 (NGC 3623), and its neighbors M66 and NGC 3628, form a triplet of galaxies, called the Lion Triplet or the Group of M66, located at a distance of about 35 million years - light. M65 is a spiral galaxy of type Sa. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring M65 is a spiral galaxy of type Sa in the constellation Leo. At a distance of about 35 million light - years, M65 apparently forms a triplet with its neighbors M66 and NGC 3628. Image obtained with the 3,9m telescope of Siding Spring

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Irregular Galaxy IC 5152 in the Indian - A nearby galaxy, IC 5152 - IC 5152 is an irregular galaxy located about 5.8 million years ago - light. In the foreground, a star in our galaxy of 8th magnitude. Image made in 1982 with the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring. This small blue galaxy is resolved into stars in this deep AAT picture, which means that it is relatively nearby. However despite its proximity, it is probably just beyond the Local Group, which is a loose collection of 30 or so galaxies within 2 or 3 million light years of the Milky Way. Apart from the Milky Way and the similarly massive M31 galaxy in Andromeda, most of our immediate extra - galactic neighbours are light - weight collections of stars and gas like IC 5152, though few (except the Large Magellanic Cloud) show such strong evidence of recent star formation The bright object which appears at the eastern end of the galaxy is an 8th magnitude blue star in the Milky Way

Irregular Galaxy IC 5152 in the Indian - A nearby galaxy, IC 5152 - IC 5152 is an irregular galaxy located about 5.8 million years ago - light. In the foreground, a star in our galaxy of 8th magnitude. Image made in 1982 with the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring. This small blue galaxy is resolved into stars in this deep AAT picture, which means that it is relatively nearby. However despite its proximity, it is probably just beyond the Local Group, which is a loose collection of 30 or so galaxies within 2 or 3 million light years of the Milky Way. Apart from the Milky Way and the similarly massive M31 galaxy in Andromeda, most of our immediate extra - galactic neighbours are light - weight collections of stars and gas like IC 5152, though few (except the Large Magellanic Cloud) show such strong evidence of recent star formation The bright object which appears at the eastern end of the galaxy is an 8th magnitude blue star in the Milky Way

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Barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - Barred spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - The barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is located about 13 million years away - light from Earth. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This is one of many peculiar galaxies that populate the large southern constellation of Centaurus. This remarkable spiral galaxy seen almost edge - on, and the spiral structure is chaotic and difficult to discern. In part this is because the galaxy is itself extremely dusty, and it is seen through dust in the Milky Way. These effects together account for its yellowish hue, though patches of bluish stars can be seen. The dust in NGC 4945 absorbs most of the visible light, especially the blue light from the numerous bright stars known present within the galaxy. This energy is re - radiated at infrared wavelengths, which penetrate dust more readily, which is why the galaxy is found to be unusually bright in the infrared

Barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - Barred spiral galaxy NGC 4945 in Centaurus - The barree spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is located about 13 million years away - light from Earth. This image was obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. This is one of many peculiar galaxies that populate the large southern constellation of Centaurus. This remarkable spiral galaxy seen almost edge - on, and the spiral structure is chaotic and difficult to discern. In part this is because the galaxy is itself extremely dusty, and it is seen through dust in the Milky Way. These effects together account for its yellowish hue, though patches of bluish stars can be seen. The dust in NGC 4945 absorbs most of the visible light, especially the blue light from the numerous bright stars known present within the galaxy. This energy is re - radiated at infrared wavelengths, which penetrate dust more readily, which is why the galaxy is found to be unusually bright in the infrared

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Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

Globular clusters NGC 6522 and NGC 6528 in Sagittarius - Baade's Window around NGC 6522 - NGC 6522 (right) and NGC 6528 (left) are two clusters located about 25,000 years ago - light from Earth towards the center of our galaxy

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Globular cluster NGC 6723 in Sagittarius - Globular cluster NGC 6723 in Sagittarius - This cluster of stars is located about 30,000 years ago - light from Earth

Globular cluster NGC 6723 in Sagittarius - Globular cluster NGC 6723 in Sagittarius - This cluster of stars is located about 30,000 years ago - light from Earth

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Globular cluster 47 Toucan - The globular cluster 47 Tucanae, NGC 104 - The globular cluster 47 Toucan (or NGC 104) is visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere. Located about 15000 years ago - light it contains several million stars, some of which are among the oldest stars known today. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. Among the many spectacular objects in the southern skies are two magnificent naked - eye globular clusters, omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae. These ancient cities of stars are captives of the Milky Way but were formed long before our Galaxy assumed its present shape, indeed these clusters have some of the oldest known stars. 47 Tuc is about 15,000 light years distant and contains several million stars, as many as some minor galaxies. The crowded central region leads to occasional stellar encounters and it is in 47 Tuc that rapidly - spinning pulsars have been discovered by radio astronomers. Although the light of globular clus

Globular cluster 47 Toucan - The globular cluster 47 Tucanae, NGC 104 - The globular cluster 47 Toucan (or NGC 104) is visible to the naked eye from the southern hemisphere. Located about 15000 years ago - light it contains several million stars, some of which are among the oldest stars known today. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring, Australia. Among the many spectacular objects in the southern skies are two magnificent naked - eye globular clusters, omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae. These ancient cities of stars are captives of the Milky Way but were formed long before our Galaxy assumed its present shape, indeed these clusters have some of the oldest known stars. 47 Tuc is about 15,000 light years distant and contains several million stars, as many as some minor galaxies. The crowded central region leads to occasional stellar encounters and it is in 47 Tuc that rapidly - spinning pulsars have been discovered by radio astronomers. Although the light of globular clus

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Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Veles - Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Vela - This cluster of stars is located about 15,000 years ago - light from Earth

Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Veles - Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Vela - This cluster of stars is located about 15,000 years ago - light from Earth

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Open cluster NGC 3293 in Carene - Open star cluster NGC 3293 in Carina - Star cluster located in the constellation Carene about 8500 years ago - light from Earth. Unlike the Sun, many stars are found in brilliant clusters such as NGC 3293 where they spend their lives. At birth, which should have been at much the same time for all the stars in NGC 3293, the most massive stars are hot and very luminous and therefore appear as the brightest blue stars. With time they deplete their supplies of nuclear fuel, hydrogen. This evolutionary process involves cooling, so that the stars become redder, and would ordinarily disappear from view, but they also swell to gigantic proportions and so remain visible. The bright orange star in NGC 3293 is the member of the cluster which has aged fastest. This cluster is in the constellation of Carina at a distance of about 8500 light years

Open cluster NGC 3293 in Carene - Open star cluster NGC 3293 in Carina - Star cluster located in the constellation Carene about 8500 years ago - light from Earth. Unlike the Sun, many stars are found in brilliant clusters such as NGC 3293 where they spend their lives. At birth, which should have been at much the same time for all the stars in NGC 3293, the most massive stars are hot and very luminous and therefore appear as the brightest blue stars. With time they deplete their supplies of nuclear fuel, hydrogen. This evolutionary process involves cooling, so that the stars become redder, and would ordinarily disappear from view, but they also swell to gigantic proportions and so remain visible. The bright orange star in NGC 3293 is the member of the cluster which has aged fastest. This cluster is in the constellation of Carina at a distance of about 8500 light years

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Open cluster NGC 4755 - Jewel Box - The Jewel Box cluster, NGC 4755 - NGC 4755 is located in the constellation of the Southern Cross at a distance of 7800 years - light from Earth. The bright orange star is Kappa Crucis, a supergiant red star. This famous group of young bright stars is an open cluster some 7800 light years from the Sun. It was named the Jewel Box from its description by Sir John Herschel as 'a casket of variously coloured precious stones', which refers to its appearance in the telescope. The bright orange star is kappa Crucis, and it contrasts strongly against its predominantly blue, hot companions. Kappa Cru is a very large, (hence very luminous) quite young star in its red supergiant stage, which paradoxically indicates that its life is drawing to a close. The cluster is looks like a star to the unaided eye and appears close to the eastern - most star of the Southern Cross, so is only visible from southern latitude

Open cluster NGC 4755 - Jewel Box - The Jewel Box cluster, NGC 4755 - NGC 4755 is located in the constellation of the Southern Cross at a distance of 7800 years - light from Earth. The bright orange star is Kappa Crucis, a supergiant red star. This famous group of young bright stars is an open cluster some 7800 light years from the Sun. It was named the Jewel Box from its description by Sir John Herschel as 'a casket of variously coloured precious stones', which refers to its appearance in the telescope. The bright orange star is kappa Crucis, and it contrasts strongly against its predominantly blue, hot companions. Kappa Cru is a very large, (hence very luminous) quite young star in its red supergiant stage, which paradoxically indicates that its life is drawing to a close. The cluster is looks like a star to the unaided eye and appears close to the eastern - most star of the Southern Cross, so is only visible from southern latitude

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Open cluster M11 in the ECU of Sobieski - M11 open cluster in Scutum - M11 (NGC 6705) is a cluster of about 3000 stars. Image obtained by Siding Spring Clusters of bright blue stars like M11 are found scattered among the spiral arms of the Milky Way and other galaxies like it. They are a clear sign that star formation is active, because such clusters are usually very young and short lived. The stars in M11 all formed from the same material and at about the same time, a few million years ago. In 100 million years or so, all the brightest stars in the group will have evolved into cool supergiants and exploded as supernovae, leaving behind large numbers of low mass, relatively faint stars whose lives will be much longer and whose end will be much less dramatic. Located in the constellation of Scutum, it is sometimes mistaken for a loose globular cluster. M11 is also called the “” Wild Duck Cluster”” because of it's resemblance to a flight of wild ducks when viewed in a telescope. M11, wit

Open cluster M11 in the ECU of Sobieski - M11 open cluster in Scutum - M11 (NGC 6705) is a cluster of about 3000 stars. Image obtained by Siding Spring Clusters of bright blue stars like M11 are found scattered among the spiral arms of the Milky Way and other galaxies like it. They are a clear sign that star formation is active, because such clusters are usually very young and short lived. The stars in M11 all formed from the same material and at about the same time, a few million years ago. In 100 million years or so, all the brightest stars in the group will have evolved into cool supergiants and exploded as supernovae, leaving behind large numbers of low mass, relatively faint stars whose lives will be much longer and whose end will be much less dramatic. Located in the constellation of Scutum, it is sometimes mistaken for a loose globular cluster. M11 is also called the “” Wild Duck Cluster”” because of it's resemblance to a flight of wild ducks when viewed in a telescope. M11, wit

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Open Cluster of Pleiades - The Pleiades star cluster - The Pleiades cluster is a cluster of about 500 young stars nees 150 million years ago. Visible in the constellation Taurus, this cluster is 440 years from the Earth. The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years from Earth in the northern constellation of Taurus and has been recognised since ancient times. Seven of the brightest stars are quite easy to see with the unaided eye and bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas. The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust into which the cluster has drifted. It appears blue because these tiny interstellar particles scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space

Open Cluster of Pleiades - The Pleiades star cluster - The Pleiades cluster is a cluster of about 500 young stars nees 150 million years ago. Visible in the constellation Taurus, this cluster is 440 years from the Earth. The Pleiades are one of the finest and nearest examples of a reflection nebula associated with a cluster of young stars. The cluster itself is a group of many hundreds of stars about 400 light years from Earth in the northern constellation of Taurus and has been recognised since ancient times. Seven of the brightest stars are quite easy to see with the unaided eye and bear the names of the Seven Sisters, the daughters of Atlas. The nebulosity seen here is light reflected from the particles in a cloud of cold gas and dust into which the cluster has drifted. It appears blue because these tiny interstellar particles scatter blue light more efficiently than the longer wavelengths of red light and it is streaky because of the distribution of dust particles in space

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Proxima Star of Centauri - Proxima Centauri - Proxima of Centaur (in the center of the image) is the closest star to the Sun, at a distance of 4.2 years - light. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Proxima Centauri is the nearest known star to the sun, at a distance of about 4.2 light years. It is an intrinsically faint red star, more than ten magnitudes (ten thousand times) fainter than the Sun. It is also much cooler, with a surface temperature of about 3100 C. Its visual (apparent) magnitude is eleven, so it is only visible with a good telescope, and only then from southern latitudes. Proxima is about one - tenth the mass of the sun, which accounts for its low surface temperature. It is possibly an outlying member of the triple alpha Centauri system just a few light days closer to us than the other, much brighter stars in the group

Proxima Star of Centauri - Proxima Centauri - Proxima of Centaur (in the center of the image) is the closest star to the Sun, at a distance of 4.2 years - light. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Proxima Centauri is the nearest known star to the sun, at a distance of about 4.2 light years. It is an intrinsically faint red star, more than ten magnitudes (ten thousand times) fainter than the Sun. It is also much cooler, with a surface temperature of about 3100 C. Its visual (apparent) magnitude is eleven, so it is only visible with a good telescope, and only then from southern latitudes. Proxima is about one - tenth the mass of the sun, which accounts for its low surface temperature. It is possibly an outlying member of the triple alpha Centauri system just a few light days closer to us than the other, much brighter stars in the group

PIX4571821

Motion of the Star Proxima of Centauri - The proper motion of Proxima Centauri - Proxima of Centauri (in the center of the image) is the closest star to the Sun, located at a distance of 4.2 years - light. This star is a red dwarf, 10,000 times less luminous than our Sun, and is invisible to the naked eye. Its proximity makes it move quickly ahead of the other stars. This composite image made from three images taken in 1976 (blue), 1982 (red) and 1993 (green) shows the shift of the star in 17 years. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Proxima Centauri is the nearest known star to the sun, at a distance of about 4.2 light years. It is an intrinsically faint red star, more than ten magnitudes (ten thousand times) fainter than the Sun. It is also much cooler, with a surface temperature of about 3100 C. Its visual (apparent) magnitude is eleven, so it is only visible with a good telescope, and only then from southern latitudes. Proxima is about one - tenth t

Motion of the Star Proxima of Centauri - The proper motion of Proxima Centauri - Proxima of Centauri (in the center of the image) is the closest star to the Sun, located at a distance of 4.2 years - light. This star is a red dwarf, 10,000 times less luminous than our Sun, and is invisible to the naked eye. Its proximity makes it move quickly ahead of the other stars. This composite image made from three images taken in 1976 (blue), 1982 (red) and 1993 (green) shows the shift of the star in 17 years. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. Proxima Centauri is the nearest known star to the sun, at a distance of about 4.2 light years. It is an intrinsically faint red star, more than ten magnitudes (ten thousand times) fainter than the Sun. It is also much cooler, with a surface temperature of about 3100 C. Its visual (apparent) magnitude is eleven, so it is only visible with a good telescope, and only then from southern latitudes. Proxima is about one - tenth t

PIX4571842

Galaxy clusters Abell 1060 in Hydra - The Hydra cluster of galaxies (Abell 1060) - The galaxy in the center is the spiral galaxy NGC 3312. To its right, the brightest elliptical galaxies of this cluster: NGC 3311. The two bright stars are closer and belong to our galaxy. This splendid cluster of galaxies in Hydra is framed by two nearby, cool stars in our own Milky Way. The brightest is about 5th magnitude, visible to the unaided eye only under a dark sky; the second brightest is below naked - eye visibility. In contrast the galaxies appear featureless in all but the largest telescopes. The bluish, elongated galaxy is an edge - on spiral, NGC 3312. It has been distorted by interactions with its neighbours. They in turn have been affected, and the brightest of the two adjacent yellow elliptical galaxies (NGC 3311) has an assymetrical envelope, perhaps as a result of this encounter. It's hard to tell who is jostling who in a crowded group of galaxies such as this. Among the most interest

Galaxy clusters Abell 1060 in Hydra - The Hydra cluster of galaxies (Abell 1060) - The galaxy in the center is the spiral galaxy NGC 3312. To its right, the brightest elliptical galaxies of this cluster: NGC 3311. The two bright stars are closer and belong to our galaxy. This splendid cluster of galaxies in Hydra is framed by two nearby, cool stars in our own Milky Way. The brightest is about 5th magnitude, visible to the unaided eye only under a dark sky; the second brightest is below naked - eye visibility. In contrast the galaxies appear featureless in all but the largest telescopes. The bluish, elongated galaxy is an edge - on spiral, NGC 3312. It has been distorted by interactions with its neighbours. They in turn have been affected, and the brightest of the two adjacent yellow elliptical galaxies (NGC 3311) has an assymetrical envelope, perhaps as a result of this encounter. It's hard to tell who is jostling who in a crowded group of galaxies such as this. Among the most interest

PIX4565268

Halley Comete - The tails of Comet Halley on March 9, 1986 - Halley Comete March 9, 1986

Halley Comete - The tails of Comet Halley on March 9, 1986 - Halley Comete March 9, 1986

PIX4570014

Globular cluster M4 in Scorpio - Globular cluster M4 in Scorpius - M4 is a globular cluster located about 7,000 years - light from Earth in the constellation Scorpio. M14 is a globular cluster at about 7,000 light - years away and appearing in the constellation Scorpius

Globular cluster M4 in Scorpio - Globular cluster M4 in Scorpius - M4 is a globular cluster located about 7,000 years - light from Earth in the constellation Scorpio. M14 is a globular cluster at about 7,000 light - years away and appearing in the constellation Scorpius

PIX4564600

Centaur Omega globular cluster - The globular cluster Omega Centauri NGC 5139 - Located 17,000 years ago - light from Earth in the southern constellation of Centaur, Omega Centauri contains several million stars and is one of the oldest objects in our galaxy. To the unaided eye this glorious globular cluster has the appearance of a hazy star and was frequently confused with Halley's comet when it drifted through Centaurus in 1986. One of the richest in the Milky Way, Omega Cen contains several million stars, but unlike its southern rival, 47 Tucanae, it has a relatively open structure. Like most galactic globular clusters, the stellar population of Omega Cen identifies it as one of the oldest objects associated with the Milky Way, indeed its age is comparable to that of the Universe itself. The cluster contains a large number of RR Lyrae variable stars which enable its distance to be determined as 17,000 light years

Centaur Omega globular cluster - The globular cluster Omega Centauri NGC 5139 - Located 17,000 years ago - light from Earth in the southern constellation of Centaur, Omega Centauri contains several million stars and is one of the oldest objects in our galaxy. To the unaided eye this glorious globular cluster has the appearance of a hazy star and was frequently confused with Halley's comet when it drifted through Centaurus in 1986. One of the richest in the Milky Way, Omega Cen contains several million stars, but unlike its southern rival, 47 Tucanae, it has a relatively open structure. Like most galactic globular clusters, the stellar population of Omega Cen identifies it as one of the oldest objects associated with the Milky Way, indeed its age is comparable to that of the Universe itself. The cluster contains a large number of RR Lyrae variable stars which enable its distance to be determined as 17,000 light years

PIX4564400

Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Veles - Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Vela - This cluster of stars is located about 15,000 years ago - light from Earth

Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Veles - Globular cluster NGC 3201 in Vela - This cluster of stars is located about 15,000 years ago - light from Earth

PIX4564350

Centaur Omega globular cluster - NGC 5139 Omega Centauri globular cluster - Located 17,000 years ago - light from Earth in the southern constellation of Centaur, Omega Centaur contains several million stars and is one of the oldest objects in our galaxy. One of the richest in the Milky Way, Omega Cen contains several million stars, but unlike its southern rival, 47 Tucanae, it has a relatively open structure. Like most galactic globular clusters, the stellar population of Omega Cen identifies it as one of the oldest objects associated with the Milky Way, indeed its age is comparable to that of the Universe itself. The cluster contains a large number of RR Lyrae variable stars which enable its distance to be determined as 17,000 light years

Centaur Omega globular cluster - NGC 5139 Omega Centauri globular cluster - Located 17,000 years ago - light from Earth in the southern constellation of Centaur, Omega Centaur contains several million stars and is one of the oldest objects in our galaxy. One of the richest in the Milky Way, Omega Cen contains several million stars, but unlike its southern rival, 47 Tucanae, it has a relatively open structure. Like most galactic globular clusters, the stellar population of Omega Cen identifies it as one of the oldest objects associated with the Milky Way, indeed its age is comparable to that of the Universe itself. The cluster contains a large number of RR Lyrae variable stars which enable its distance to be determined as 17,000 light years

PIX4564453

Planetary nebula NGC 5189 in the Fly - NGC 5189, a weird planetary nebula - This nebula is located about 3000 years from Earth in the southern constellation of Fly. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring The peculiarity of NGC 5189 lies in its astonishingly complex structure, first noted by Sir John Herschel, who discovered it in 1835. Seen through the telescope it seems to have an 'S' shape, reminiscent of a barred spiral galaxy, hence its popular name. This is seen in the colour photograph as the central greenish part. Deep photographs such as this show many filaments, rather more reminiscent of the Crab nebula, a supernova remnant, than a planetary nebula. Unlike the Crab nebula, NGC 5189 is remarkably symmetrical. Distances to planetary nebulae are notoriously difficult to measure, but this one is estimated to be about 3000 light years away

Planetary nebula NGC 5189 in the Fly - NGC 5189, a weird planetary nebula - This nebula is located about 3000 years from Earth in the southern constellation of Fly. Image obtained from the 3.9m telescope of Siding Spring The peculiarity of NGC 5189 lies in its astonishingly complex structure, first noted by Sir John Herschel, who discovered it in 1835. Seen through the telescope it seems to have an 'S' shape, reminiscent of a barred spiral galaxy, hence its popular name. This is seen in the colour photograph as the central greenish part. Deep photographs such as this show many filaments, rather more reminiscent of the Crab nebula, a supernova remnant, than a planetary nebula. Unlike the Crab nebula, NGC 5189 is remarkably symmetrical. Distances to planetary nebulae are notoriously difficult to measure, but this one is estimated to be about 3000 light years away

PIX4623110

The Rosette Nebula in the Unicorn - The Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 cluster - The Rosette Nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas located about 5500 years from Earth. Towards the center of the nebula, a cluster of blue stars, NGC 2244 formed less than a million years ago. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. The Rosette Nebula exhibits a striking circular symmetry which gives it the appearance of a partly opened rose, an allusion further enhanced by the rich red hues seen in this colour photograph. Near the centre of the nebula is a cluster of blue stars catalogued as NGC 2244. These stars are responsible for making the nebula visible and for creating the hollowed - out central cavity. This cluster of stars formed from the gas which now surrounds it less than a million years ago and is thus very young on the cosmic timescale. The gas and dust at the centre of the nebula have been forced away from the bright stars by radiation pressure and the intense stell

The Rosette Nebula in the Unicorn - The Rosette Nebula and NGC 2244 cluster - The Rosette Nebula is a vast cloud of dust and gas located about 5500 years from Earth. Towards the center of the nebula, a cluster of blue stars, NGC 2244 formed less than a million years ago. Image obtained from the 1.2m Schmidt UK telescope of Siding Spring. The Rosette Nebula exhibits a striking circular symmetry which gives it the appearance of a partly opened rose, an allusion further enhanced by the rich red hues seen in this colour photograph. Near the centre of the nebula is a cluster of blue stars catalogued as NGC 2244. These stars are responsible for making the nebula visible and for creating the hollowed - out central cavity. This cluster of stars formed from the gas which now surrounds it less than a million years ago and is thus very young on the cosmic timescale. The gas and dust at the centre of the nebula have been forced away from the bright stars by radiation pressure and the intense stell

PIX4618445

Nebula of the cone NGC 2264 and S star Monocerotis - NGC 2264 and S Monocerotis - Region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The region around the 4.7 magnitude star S Mon is a fascinating mixture of red fluorescent hydrogen and dark, obscuring dust lanes. Some dust patches are close enough to bright stars to reflect light from them; these appear blue for the same reason that the day - time sky is blue - because some of the interstellar particles preferentially scatter blue light. Some of the wispy tendrils of nebulosity are Herbig - Haro objects, jets of matter ejected from newly - formed stars still hidden within the nebula. About 250 stars have been recognised as members of NGC 2264 which is at a distance of about 2700 light years

Nebula of the cone NGC 2264 and S star Monocerotis - NGC 2264 and S Monocerotis - Region H II located about 2600 years - light from Earth. The bright star is S Monocerotis, a star of magnitude 4.7. Image obtained by Siding Spring's 3.9m telescope. The region around the 4.7 magnitude star S Mon is a fascinating mixture of red fluorescent hydrogen and dark, obscuring dust lanes. Some dust patches are close enough to bright stars to reflect light from them; these appear blue for the same reason that the day - time sky is blue - because some of the interstellar particles preferentially scatter blue light. Some of the wispy tendrils of nebulosity are Herbig - Haro objects, jets of matter ejected from newly - formed stars still hidden within the nebula. About 250 stars have been recognised as members of NGC 2264 which is at a distance of about 2700 light years

PIX4618685

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