Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1300
16.10.2022

Across the center of this spiral galaxy is a bar. And at the center of this bar is smaller spiral. And at the center of that spiralбis a supermassiveбblack hole.б This all happens...

The UV SMC from UIT
24.03.2001

Translated from the "acronese" the title reads - The UltraViolet Small Magellanic Cloud from the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. FYI, the four ultraviolet images used in this mosaic of the nearby irregular galaxy known...

Gamma-ray Burster
18.12.1997

Gamma-ray bursts seem to be the most powerful explosions in the Universe. Yet their sources continue to elude researchers who stand in awe and frustration at the bursts' transient, enigmatic behavior. The blinking gif above illustrates the latest hard-won result in the quest to identify and understand the nature of the bursters.

Full Moon, Green Rim
26.08.2005

July's Full Moon looks strangely darkened and distorted in this remarkable telescopic view. The image is one of a series recorded when the Moon was very near the horizon. The long sight-line through...

Abell 2142: Clash of the Galaxy Clusters
6.03.2000

Over the course of billions of years, whole clusters of galaxies merge. Above is an X-ray image of Abell 2142, the result of the collision of two huge clusters of galaxies, and one of the most massive objects known in the universe.

The Snowflake Cluster versus the Cone Nebula
9.05.2007

Strange shapes and textures can be found in the neighborhood of the Cone Nebula. These patterns result from the tumultuous unrest that accompanies the formation of the open cluster of stars known as NGC 2264, the Snowflake cluster.

Full Moondark
28.07.2007

The brilliant full Moon might not look quite like this to skygazers next Monday, but the image is a mosaic of 18 digital frames recorded when the Moon was only about seven hours past its exact full phase or time of maximum illumination as viewed from Earth.

Omega Sunrise
21.09.2020

Capturing this sunrise required both luck and timing. First and foremost, precise timing was needed to capture a sailboat crossing right in front of a rising Sun. Additionally, by a lucky coincidence, the background Sun itself appears unusual -- it looks like the Greek letter Omega (н).

The Large Magellanic Cloud
23.07.2026

Have you ever seen another galaxy with your own eyes? The featured image shows the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of the closest neighbors of our Milky Way. If you are anywhere south...

Giant Galaxy NGC 6872
3.04.2011

Over 400,000 light years across NGC 6872 is an enormous spiral galaxy, at least 4 times the size of our own, very large, Milky Way. About 200 million light-years distant, toward the southern...