2019 April 19 Milky Way in Northern Spring Image Credit & Copyright: Taha Ghouchkanlu (TWAN) Explanation: A postcard from planet Earth, this springtime night skyscape looks over Alandan lake in the Alborz mountains. Taken after local midnight on April 17, the central Milky Way is rising over th […]
2019 April 18 The Leo Trio Image Credit & Copyright: Markus Bauer Explanation: This group is popular in the northern spring. Famous as the Leo Triplet, the three magnificent galaxies gather in one field of view. Crowd pleasers when imaged with even modest telescopes, they can be introduced indi
2019 April 17 Messier 81 Image Credit & Copyright: Paolo De Salvatore (Zenit Observatory) Explanation: One of the brightest galaxies in planet Earth’s sky is similar in size to our Milky Way Galaxy: big, beautiful Messier 81. Also known as NGC 3031 or Bode’s galaxy for its 18th cent
2019 April 16 In the Vicinity of the Cone Nebula Image Credit: Chilescope; Processing & Copyright: Utkarsh Mishra Explanation: Strange shapes and textures can be found in neighborhood of the Cone Nebula. The unusual shapes originate from fine interstellar dust reacting in complex ways with the e
2019 April 15 Enhanced: The Dolphin Cloud on Jupiter Image Credit: NASA, Juno, SwRI, MSSS; Processing: Gerald Eichstädt & Avi Solomon Explanation: Do you see the dolphin-shaped cloud on Jupiter? The cloud was visible last year during perijove 16, the sixteenth time that NASA’s robotic spac
2019 April 14 Simulation: Two Black Holes Merge Simulation Credit: Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Project Explanation: Sit back and watch two black holes merge. Inspired by the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015, this simulation video plays in slow motion but would take about one t
2019 April 13 Rigil Kentaurus and Sandqvist 169 Image Credit & Copyright: Roberto Colombari Explanation: Rigil Kentaurus is the bright star near the top of this broad southern skyscape. Of course it’s probably better known as Alpha Centauri, nearest star system to the Sun. Below it sprawls
2019 April 12 A Cosmic Rose: The Rosette Nebula in Monoceros Image Credit & Copyright: Jean Dean Explanation: The Rosette Nebula, NGC 2237, is not the only cosmic cloud of gas and dust to evoke the imagery of flowers, but it is the most famous. At the edge of a large molecular cloud in Monoceros
2019 April 11 First Horizon-Scale Image of a Black Hole Image Credit: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration Explanation: What does a black hole look like? To find out, radio telescopes from around the Earth coordinated observations of black holes with the largest known event horizons on the sky. Alo
2019 April 10 Martian Moon Phobos Crosses the Sun Video Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS, Curiosity Rover Explanation: What’s that passing in front of the Sun? It looks like a moon, but it can’t be Earth’s Moon, because it isn’t round. It’s the Martian moon Phobos. The f
