 Random files - User galleries |
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snake-nebula.jpgSnake nebula.534 viewsThe Snake Nebula (also known as Barnard 72) is a dark nebula in the Ophiuchus constellation. It is a small but readily apparent S-shaped dust lane that snakes out in front of the Milky Way star clouds from the north-north-west edge of the bowl of the Pipe Nebula. Its thickness runs between 2′ and 3′ and runs around 6′ in the north-west / south-east orientation. A good view in a 4" to 6" telescope requires clear dark skies.
It is part of the much larger Dark Horse Nebula.Martin
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Eta_Carina.jpgEta Carinae533 viewstest image with OAG.Martin
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Grasshopper.jpg419 viewsMartin
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Horsehead.jpgHorsehead.693 viewsThe Horsehead Nebula (also known as Barnard 33 in bright nebula IC 434) is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion. The nebula is located just below (to the south of) Alnitak, the star farthest left on Orion's Belt, and is part of the much larger Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 1500 light years from Earth. It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of the shape of its swirling cloud of dark dust and gases, which is similar to that of a horse's head when viewed from Earth. The shape was first noticed in 1888 by Williamina Fleming on photographic plate B2312 taken at the Harvard College Observatory.
The red glow originates from hydrogen gas predominantly behind the nebula, ionized by the nearby bright star Sigma Orionis. The darkness of the Horsehead is caused mostly by thick dust, although the lower part of the Horsehead's neck casts a shadow to the left. Streams of gas leaving the nebula are funneled by a strong magnetic field. Bright spots in the Horsehead Nebula's base are young stars just in the process of forming. Martin
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goodbugcrop.jpgBug nebula.397 viewsNGC 6302 (also called the Bug Nebula or Butterfly Nebula), is a bipolar planetary nebula in the constellation Scorpius. It is one of the most complex[clarification needed] planetary nebulae observed. The spectrum of NGC 6302 shows its central star is one of the hottest objects in the galaxy, with a surface temperature in excess of 200,000 K, implying that the star from which it formed must have been very large.
The central star has never been observed and is surrounded by a particularly dense equatorial disc composed of gas and dust. This dense disc is postulated to have caused the star's outflows to form a bipolar structure (Gurzadyan 1997), similar to an hour-glass. This bipolar structure shows many interesting features seen in planetary nebulae such as ionization walls, knots and sharp edges to the lobes.Martin
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potholomy.jpgNGC6475.517 viewsMessier 7 or M7, also designated NGC 6475 and sometimes known as the Ptolemy Cluster, is an open cluster of stars in the constellation of Scorpius.
The cluster is easily detectable with the naked eye, close to the "stinger" of Scorpius. It has been known since antiquity; it was first recorded by the 1st century astronomer Ptolemy, who described it as a nebula in 130 AD. Giovanni Batista Hodierna observed it before 1654 and counted 30 stars in it. Charles Messier catalogued the cluster in 1764 and subsequently included it in his list of comet-like objects as 'M7'.
Telescopic observations of the cluster reveal about 80 stars within a field of view of 1.3° across. At the cluster's estimated distance of 800-1000 light years this corresponds to an actual diameter of 18-25 light years. The age of the cluster is around 220 million years while the brightest star is of magnitude 5.6.Martin
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 Last additions - User galleries |
rosette_done_ha2Mb.jpgRosetta in HA.501 viewsStill lots of noise in the surroundings so will need more exposures.MartinDec 28, 2014
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Eta_Carinae_done_ha2Mb.jpgEta Carinae with the EQ8 mount.811 viewsMartinDec 28, 2014
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Eta_Carina.jpgEta Carinae533 viewstest image with OAG.MartinFeb 12, 2014
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Lagoondone2Mb.jpgLagoon nebula669 viewsDone with the ED100 and Hutech FR/FF.MartinMay 15, 2013
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triffid_done2MB.jpgTriffid nebula736 viewsDone with the ED100 and Hutech FR/FF.MartinMay 15, 2013
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testing.jpgtestimage971 views2X30Seconds at ISO1600MartinMay 12, 2012
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Sombrerocropdone.jpgSombrero galaxy1546 viewsThe Sombrero Galaxy (also known as M104 or NGC 4594) is an unbarred spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo located 28 million light years from Earth. It has a bright nucleus, an unusually large central bulge, and a prominent dust lane in its inclined disk. The dark dust lane and the bulge give this galaxy the appearance of a sombrero. Astronomers initially thought that the halo was small and light, indicative of a spiral galaxy. But Spitzer found that halo around the Sombrero Galaxy is larger and more massive than previously thought, indicative of a giant elliptical galaxy. [5] The galaxy has an apparent magnitude of +9.0, making it easily visible with amateur telescopes. The large bulge, the central supermassive black hole, and the dust lane all attract the attention of professional astronomers.MartinMay 11, 2012
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NGC4945.jpgNGC4945.1070 viewsNGC4945 with the Supernova.MartinApr 11, 2012
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