M48 is an open cluster located about 2500 ly away in the constellation of Hydra.
At about 450 million years old, it is a middle aged open cluster. Its stars have began to drift apart due to interactions with other matter in our Galaxy.
At about 450 million years old, it is a middle aged open cluster. Its stars have began to drift apart due to interactions with other matter in our Galaxy.
06:37 PM - Apr 25, 2024
The Virgo cluster of galaxies contains many members. This image which contains M60 (left centre) and M59 (right centre) has at least 11 other members, can you spot them without looking at the second image?
08:09 PM - Apr 24, 2024
NGC 2024, the Flame nebula (upper left) forms part of a larger cloud of gas and dust that includes the Horsehead nebula which is in front of IC 434.
The bright star is Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion's belt.
The bright star is Alnitak, the easternmost star in Orion's belt.
09:41 PM - Apr 23, 2024
M49 is an elliptical galaxy located about 56 Mly away in the constellation Virgo.
Elliptical galaxies like M49 are thought to be the result of galactic mergers with two or more galaxies coming together to form the elliptical.
Elliptical galaxies like M49 are thought to be the result of galactic mergers with two or more galaxies coming together to form the elliptical.
07:37 PM - Apr 22, 2024
M82 is a spiral galaxy located about 12 Mly away in the constellation of Ursa Major.
M82 is a starburst galaxy, that is undergoing massive amounts of star formation. This is likely due to gravitational interaction with nearby galaxy M81.
M82 is a starburst galaxy, that is undergoing massive amounts of star formation. This is likely due to gravitational interaction with nearby galaxy M81.
06:55 PM - Apr 18, 2024
M59 is an elliptical galaxy located about 50 Mly away in the constellation of Virgo.
Like our Galaxy, M59 also has globular clusters orbiting it. M59 has a lot of globulars, over 2000.
Like our Galaxy, M59 also has globular clusters orbiting it. M59 has a lot of globulars, over 2000.
06:58 PM - Apr 17, 2024
M86 (centre) is an elliptical galaxy located about 52 Mly away in the constellation of Virgo.
M86 exhibits a blue shift despite its distance meaning that it is approaching our Galaxy.
M86 exhibits a blue shift despite its distance meaning that it is approaching our Galaxy.
06:41 PM - Apr 15, 2024
NGC 3628 is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 35 Mly away in the constellation of Leo.
It is part of the Leo triplet of galaxies. As can been seen in the image the it has prominent dust lanes along the edge of the galaxy. This dust is common to spiral galaxies.
It is part of the Leo triplet of galaxies. As can been seen in the image the it has prominent dust lanes along the edge of the galaxy. This dust is common to spiral galaxies.
09:56 PM - Apr 11, 2024
M87 is an elliptical galaxy located about 16 Mly away in the constellation Virgo.
One of the largest galaxies that is relatively close to our Galaxy, M87 contains an active supermassive black hole which is causing the jet visible in the second image.
One of the largest galaxies that is relatively close to our Galaxy, M87 contains an active supermassive black hole which is causing the jet visible in the second image.
11:40 PM - Apr 10, 2024
M97, the Owl Nebula, is a planetary nebula located about 2000 ly away in the constellation Ursa Major.
It is the remnant of a star not unlike the Sun, having used up its fuel and puffing its atmosphere into space. Once the nebula is gone, a white dwarf will be all that's left.
It is the remnant of a star not unlike the Sun, having used up its fuel and puffing its atmosphere into space. Once the nebula is gone, a white dwarf will be all that's left.
09:00 PM - Apr 09, 2024
NGC 7217 is a spiral galaxy located about 50 Mly away in the constellation of Pegasus.
An unusual feature of this galaxy is that it has many stars in its disk rotating retrograde (opposite the main mass of stars). This could be due to a merger in the galaxy's past.
An unusual feature of this galaxy is that it has many stars in its disk rotating retrograde (opposite the main mass of stars). This could be due to a merger in the galaxy's past.
08:48 PM - Apr 08, 2024
M25 is an open cluster located about 2000 ly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
It is a reasonably young cluster, at only about 68 million years old.
It is a reasonably young cluster, at only about 68 million years old.
10:55 PM - Apr 03, 2024
M31, the Andromeda Galaxy, is a spiral galaxy located about 2.5 Mly away in the constellation of Andromeda.
The closest large galaxy that looks like our Galaxy, M31 is the largest member of the Local Group of galaxies.
The closest large galaxy that looks like our Galaxy, M31 is the largest member of the Local Group of galaxies.
10:50 PM - Apr 02, 2024
M56 is a globular cluster located about 33 kly away in the constellation of Lyra.
Using the globular clusters that orbit our Galaxy like M56, Harlow Shapley was able to determine the direction and distance to our Galaxy's core.
Using the globular clusters that orbit our Galaxy like M56, Harlow Shapley was able to determine the direction and distance to our Galaxy's core.
07:01 PM - Mar 28, 2024
NGC 5492 (near centre) is an edge-on spiral galaxy located about 119 Mly away in the constellation Bootes.
It is suspected to be an Active Galaxy Nucleus (AGN) galaxy. This means there is likely an active supermassive black hole in it's core.
It is suspected to be an Active Galaxy Nucleus (AGN) galaxy. This means there is likely an active supermassive black hole in it's core.
09:15 PM - Mar 27, 2024
IC 4593 is a planetary nebula located about 7900 ly away in the constellation Hercules.
Its further distance makes it hard to see in the image on the right through a 20cm telescope. Left image is a crop.
Its further distance makes it hard to see in the image on the right through a 20cm telescope. Left image is a crop.
08:59 PM - Mar 26, 2024
M72 is a globular cluster located about 55 kly away in the constellation of Aquarius.
Though our Galaxy has over 150 of these objects orbiting it, and they are observed to be orbiting other galaxies as well, we don't really know how they're formed.
Though our Galaxy has over 150 of these objects orbiting it, and they are observed to be orbiting other galaxies as well, we don't really know how they're formed.
07:34 PM - Mar 22, 2024
M70 is a globular cluster located about 29 kly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
M7 is the third most southern Messier object. As a globular cluster is is a ball of tens of thousands of stars in orbit about our Galaxy.
M7 is the third most southern Messier object. As a globular cluster is is a ball of tens of thousands of stars in orbit about our Galaxy.
06:24 PM - Mar 21, 2024
M8, the Lagoon Nebula, is an HII region located about 4100 ly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
M8 is a region of active star formation.
M8 is a region of active star formation.
10:03 PM - Mar 20, 2024
M7 is an open cluster located about 980 ly away in the constellation of Scorpius.
It is the southernmost Messier object, which accounts for the redness of this image as for this telescope M7 was only about 5° above the southern horizon. Our atmosphere scattered the bluer light leaving the red.
It is the southernmost Messier object, which accounts for the redness of this image as for this telescope M7 was only about 5° above the southern horizon. Our atmosphere scattered the bluer light leaving the red.
08:24 PM - Mar 19, 2024
M34 is an open cluster located about 1500 ly away in the constellation of Perseus.
It's about 8 ly across.
It's about 8 ly across.
11:12 PM - Mar 18, 2024
M103 is an open cluster located about 7300 ly away in the constellation of Cassiopeia.
08:46 PM - Mar 15, 2024
NGC 40 is a planetary nebula located about 5000 ly away in the constellation Cepheus.
PN are fleeting things, and NGC 40 will likely dissipate into the interstellar medium in 30000-40000 years.
PN are fleeting things, and NGC 40 will likely dissipate into the interstellar medium in 30000-40000 years.
07:40 PM - Mar 14, 2024
M23 is an open cluster located about 2050 ly away in the constellation Sagittarius.
Open clusters are groups of stars that were formed more or less at the same time in the same nebula.
Open clusters are groups of stars that were formed more or less at the same time in the same nebula.
10:09 PM - Mar 13, 2024
By using filters that only see light from a particular atom, we can see where those atoms are in an object. Here we see M42 in the light of H atoms, S ions, and O ions. The colour image is the three combined.
09:10 PM - Mar 12, 2024
