APOD: 2025 July 26 Б Globular Cluster Omega Centauri
26.07.2025

Globular star cluster Omega Centauri packs about 10 million stars much older than the Sun into a volume some 150 light-years in diameter. Also known as NGC 5139, at a distance...

APOD: 2026 June 22 Б M27: The Dumbbell Nebula
22.06.2026

Is this what will become of our Sun? Quite possibly. The first hint of our Sun's future was discovered inadvertently in 1764. At that time, Charles Messier was compiling a list of diffuse objects not to be confused with comets.

NGC 3603: X-Rays From A Starburst Cluster
24.01.2001

A mere 20,000 light-years from the Sun lies the NGC 3603 star cluster, a resident of the nearby Carina spiral arm of our Milky Way galaxy. Seen here in this recent false-color x-ray...

Compton Returns
7.03.2001

On 2000 June 4, the 17-ton Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory returned to Earth after 9 years in orbit -- ending its remarkable voyage of discovery. The massive, bus-sized spacecraft carried an unprecedented array of gamma-ray detectors which explored the bizarre, high-energy universe of solar flares, black holes, pulsars, supernovae, active galaxies, and gamma-ray bursts.

Orion on Film
7.02.2003

Orion, the Hunter, is one of the most easily recognizable constellations in planet Earth's night sky. But Orion's stars and nebulae don't look quite as colorful to the eye as they do in this lovely photograph, taken last month from Vekol Ranch south of Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

NGC 6946: The Fireworks Galaxy
25.01.2005

Why is this galaxy so active? Nearby spiral galaxy NGC 6946 is undergoing a tremendous burst of star formation with no obvious cause. In many cases spirals light up when interacting with another galaxy, but NGC 6946 appears relatively isolated in space.

NGC 4414: A Telling Spiral
9.06.1999

How far away is this galaxy? Cosmologists the world over have been working hard to find out. Spiral galaxy NGC 4414 contains many Cepheid variable stars that oscillate in a way that allows astronomers to estimate their distance.

Galactic Center Star Clusters
10.08.2006

If you had x-ray vision, the central regions of our Galaxy would not be hidden from view by cosmic dust clouds. Instead, the Milky Way toward Sagittarius might look something like this. Pleasing...

Our Galaxy in Stars, Gas, and Dust
27.09.1999

The disk of our Milky Way Galaxy is home to hot nebulae, cold dust, and billions of stars. The red nebulae visible in the above contrast-enhanced picture are primarily emission nebulae, glowing clouds of hydrogen gas heated by nearby, bright, young stars.

Messier Craters in Stereo
11.12.2009

Many bright nebulae and star clusters in planet Earth's sky are associated with the name of astronomer Charles Messier, from his famous 18th century catalog. His name is also given to these two large and remarkable craters on the Moon.