Astronomy Picture thread

[Aphex_Twin]

Originally posted by DvR
Even that yellow circle could have a radius of a few hundred lightyears..

Our Galaxy is about 100,000 light years (LY) in diameter. So it seems that even the small yellow circle is about 10,000 LY wide...

 

[DvR]

Ah, I always knew those egyptians used radio-communications while building those pyramids

 

[Cimbri]

I think it’s those read-all-about-us NASA have been broadcasting across our Galaxy. You know the: “Hello we’re mankind and we’re so lonely… please, please respond to us…”

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Where did you get that picture, Cimbri?

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Taken from the ESA site

Messier 87 (NGC 4486) is a giant elliptical galaxy that harbours an active nucleus in its centre. The central black hole is fed by a small gas disk, and it powers a highly collimated, energetic jet that penetrates the inner part of the galaxy.

As a typical elliptical galaxy, it primarily contains old, fairly cold stars - they cause the reddish colour of the galaxy in this colour image. The powerful jet, however, is extremely energetic and emits much of its energy in the blue and ultraviolet parts of the spectrum. The jet, therefore, appears bright blue in comparison.

This image is a colour composite of three images taken in ultraviolet, blue, and visible light (U, B and V filtres) during the night of May 25 - 26, 1998. In reality, the bright blue colour of the jet corresponds to ultraviolet radiation.

The atmospheric conditions were less than optimal during this exposure.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Interacting galaxies...

 

[Aphex_Twin]

That isn't cherry cheese cake !

Here's the full picture:
http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-1999/phot-13a-99-preview.jpg

 

[Cimbri]

Originally posted by Aphex_Twin
Where did you get that picture, Cimbri?

I don’t recall.

I think I found it on sciam.com (Scientific American) a few years ago.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

Earth at night

 

[DvR]

Speaking of light pollution...

 

[Aphex_Twin]

To kickstart this thread


Best Mars pictures taken from Earth.




A glimpse at what will replace the Hubble. A giant 6 meter telescope. Hopefully they won't blow it this time.




Those astronomers have eagle eyes. Do you actually see that dot?

 

[medwynn]

This site probably renders this thread unnecessary

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

However, The Eagle Nebula:

 

[Eastern Knight]

Nebulas

 

[Quasar1011]

The Aug. 14th, electrical blackout in the northeast, as compared to a normal night. Caption of the bottom picture reads:

NOAA image for larger view of blackout in the Northeastern USA taken Aug. 14, 2003, at 9:03 p.m. EDT. NOAA processed the data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. Please credit NOAA/DMSP.

 

[Perfection]

Here's a little bit of Pheobe

 

[Chairman Meow]

This is pure background material!

I agree, but I don't want to give up my current background
Oh well... I think I may make this my new one:

 

[ManOfMiracles]

These pics are beautiful! Keep 'em coming.

 

[Elgalad]

I wanted to post some of these on the Alternate Babe Thread, but thought they might have been out of place there..

Three unknown Space Shuttle launches:








And two very Special ones:



Space Shuttle Challenger, 1/28/1986, 11:28 AM EST



Space Shuttle Columbia, 1/16/2003, 10:30 AM EST




High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings,
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

-- John Gillespie Magee, Jr.



Never Forgotten.



-Elgalad

 

[Dann]

This is a great idea for a thread! Keep it up!

 

[steviejay]

I love this thread!!


Have you seen a more beautiful planet?

edit: its Venus btw