Dec 29 · 2012
distant-traveller: Globular cluster M4 This panoramic view of the globular cluster M4 was captured by The Kitt Peak National Observatory’s 0.9-meter telescope in March 1995. The cluster hosts some highly interesting white dwarfs that can be used to age-date the Universe. Image credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF

distant-traveller:

Globular cluster M4

This panoramic view of the globular cluster M4 was captured by The Kitt Peak National Observatory’s 0.9-meter telescope in March 1995. The cluster hosts some highly interesting white dwarfs that can be used to age-date the Universe.

Image credit: NOAO/AURA/NSF

space Astronomy universe globular cluster M4 Kitt Peak National Observatory white dwarfs
  • 26
    • Dec 23 · 2012
    distant-traveller: A detailed view of a section of the Large Magellanic Cloud This spectacular new image from the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile reveals a celestial menagerie of different objects and phenomena in part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small companion galaxy to our own Milky Way. Many clusters are visible including an unusually young globular cluster and the remains of a brilliant supernovae explosion. Image credit: ESO

    distant-traveller:

    A detailed view of a section of the Large Magellanic Cloud

    This spectacular new image from the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile reveals a celestial menagerie of different objects and phenomena in part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small companion galaxy to our own Milky Way. Many clusters are visible including an unusually young globular cluster and the remains of a brilliant supernovae explosion.

    Image credit: ESO

    space Astronomy eso large magellanic cloud stars clusters globular cluster supernova
  • 43
    • Oct 29 · 2012
    leviathan8: An unexpected population of young-looking stars The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope offers an impressive view of the centre of globular cluster NGC 6362. The image of this spherical collection of stars takes a deeper look at the core of the globular cluster, which contains a high concentration of stars with different colours. Tightly bound by gravity, globular clusters are composed of old stars, which, at around 10 billion years old, are much older than the Sun. These clusters are fairly common, with more than 150 currently known in our galaxy, the Milky Way, and more which have been spotted in other galaxies. Globular clusters are among the oldest structures in the Universe that are accessible to direct observational investigation, making them living fossils from the early years of the cosmos. Astronomers infer important properties of globular clusters by looking at the light from their constituent stars. For many years, they were regarded as ideal laboratories for testing the standard stellar evolution theory. Among other things, this theory suggests that most of the stars within a globular cluster should be of a similar age. Recently, however, high precision measurements performed in numerous globular clusters, primarily with the Hubble Space Telescope, has led some to question this widely accepted theory. In particular, certain stars appear younger and bluer than their companions, and they have been dubbed blue stragglers. NGC 6362 contains many of these stars. Since they are usually found in the core regions of clusters, where the concentration of stars is large, the most likely explanation for this unexpected population of objects seems to be that they could be either the result of stellar collisions or transfer of material between stars in binary systems. This influx of new material would heat up the star and make it appear younger than its neighbours. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA 

    leviathan8:

    An unexpected population of young-looking stars

    The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope offers an impressive view of the centre of globular cluster NGC 6362. The image of this spherical collection of stars takes a deeper look at the core of the globular cluster, which contains a high concentration of stars with different colours.

    Tightly bound by gravity, globular clusters are composed of old stars, which, at around 10 billion years old, are much older than the Sun. These clusters are fairly common, with more than 150 currently known in our galaxy, the Milky Way, and more which have been spotted in other galaxies.

    Globular clusters are among the oldest structures in the Universe that are accessible to direct observational investigation, making them living fossils from the early years of the cosmos.

    Astronomers infer important properties of globular clusters by looking at the light from their constituent stars. For many years, they were regarded as ideal laboratories for testing the standard stellar evolution theory. Among other things, this theory suggests that most of the stars within a globular cluster should be of a similar age.

    Recently, however, high precision measurements performed in numerous globular clusters, primarily with the Hubble Space Telescope, has led some to question this widely accepted theory. In particular, certain stars appear younger and bluer than their companions, and they have been dubbed blue stragglers. NGC 6362 contains many of these stars.

    Since they are usually found in the core regions of clusters, where the concentration of stars is large, the most likely explanation for this unexpected population of objects seems to be that they could be either the result of stellar collisions or transfer of material between stars in binary systems. This influx of new material would heat up the star and make it appear younger than its neighbours.

    Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA 

    (via distant-traveller)

    hubble space telescope nasa esa Astronomy stars NGC 6362 globular cluster
  • 17
    • Oct 1 · 2012
    leviathan8: Cosmic riches This dazzling image shows the globular cluster Messier 69, or M69 for short, as viewed through the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Globular clusters are dense collections of old stars. In this picture, foreground stars look big and golden when set against the backdrop of the thousands of white, silvery stars that make up M 69. Another aspect of M69 lends itself to the bejewelled metaphor: As globular clusters go, M69 is one of the most metal-rich on record. In astronomy, the term “metal” has a specialised meaning: it refers to any element heavier than the two most common elements in our Universe, hydrogen and helium. The nuclear fusion that powers stars created all of the metallic elements in nature, from the calcium in our bones to the carbon in diamonds. Successive generations of stars have built up the metallic abundances we see today. Because the stars in globular clusters are ancient, their metallic abundances are much lower than more recently formed stars, such as the Sun. Studying the makeup of stars in globular clusters like M69 has helped astronomers trace back the evolution of the cosmos. M 69 is located 29 700 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius (the Archer). The famed French comet hunter Charles Messier added M 69 to his catalogue in 1780. It is also known as NGC 6637. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

    leviathan8:

    Cosmic riches

    This dazzling image shows the globular cluster Messier 69, or M69 for short, as viewed through the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Globular clusters are dense collections of old stars. In this picture, foreground stars look big and golden when set against the backdrop of the thousands of white, silvery stars that make up M 69.

    Another aspect of M69 lends itself to the bejewelled metaphor: As globular clusters go, M69 is one of the most metal-rich on record. In astronomy, the term “metal” has a specialised meaning: it refers to any element heavier than the two most common elements in our Universe, hydrogen and helium. The nuclear fusion that powers stars created all of the metallic elements in nature, from the calcium in our bones to the carbon in diamonds. Successive generations of stars have built up the metallic abundances we see today.

    Because the stars in globular clusters are ancient, their metallic abundances are much lower than more recently formed stars, such as the Sun. Studying the makeup of stars in globular clusters like M69 has helped astronomers trace back the evolution of the cosmos.

    M 69 is located 29 700 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius (the Archer). The famed French comet hunter Charles Messier added M 69 to his catalogue in 1780. It is also known as NGC 6637.

    Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

    (via distant-traveller)

    hubble space telescope esa cosmic riches M69 globular cluster NGC 6637
  • 14
    • Aug 6 · 2012
    fyeahuniverse: Omega Centauri (x)

    fyeahuniverse:

    Omega Centauri (x)

    (Source: throughascientificlens)

    science space astronomy astrophotography Omega Centauri NASA ESA Hubble Space Telescope globular cluster
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