M81 vs M82

Astronomy Picture of the Day
25 September 2013
M81 Versus M82

Both of these galaxies are about 12 million light-years away and are having a close encounter. This close encounter is due to their longstanding gravitational struggle. This picture was constructed by 25 hours of image data in a deep telescopic snapshot. The violent star forming in M82 (right) is so energetic that it glows in X-rays. In a few billion years, only one galaxy will remain. This picture is incredibly interesting because it shows the vastness of the universe and how far away other galaxies truly are. Plus the galaxies look really cool. 

Iron Sun



Astronomy Picture of the Day: September 29, 2001
The Iron Sun

 This picture was taken on the autumnal equinox and is green because of the UV light by 11x ionized iron at temperatures over 2 million degrees fahrenheit. It was recorded by the EIT camera on the SOHO spacecraft which constantly observes the Sun. In this picture the electrons are stripped by collisions with atoms and electrons which happen at the very high temperatures of the Solar Corona. This picture really intrigues me because I have never seen this type of view of the Sun and it honestly just looks really cool.

Jellyfish Nebula



Astronomy Picture of the Day: Jan. 9 2013
The Jellyfish Nebula

The Jellyfish Nebula, as seen in the picture, obtains its namesake because its left side is seen to be dangling tentacles. It is located near the bright star Eta Geminorum and is within the supernova remnant (debris cloud from a supernova explosion) IC 443. The Nebula's light reached the Earth over 30,000 years ago. The Jellyfish Nebula is about 5,000 light years away and shares a similar water-like name with the Crab Nebula. Both the Crab Nebula and the Jellyfish Nebula harbor a neutron star, which is a remnant of a collapsed stellar core.

This is all very cool to me because just the idea of something that came from the remnants of a supernova that had happened many years ago is intriguing. Also the nebula itself just looks really awesome.