Astronomy Picture of the Day

Eskimo Nebula in Gemini Constellation

T. A. — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:47:20 +0000

The Eskimo Nebula, or NGC 2392, was discovered in the late 18th century by the German astronomer William Herschel. In astronomy, it is also popularly known as the Clownface Nebula. The Eskimo Nebula is located 2,870 light-years away in the Gemini constellation and can be spotted in a small telescope.

Eskimo Nebula in Gemini Constellation

Photo: NASA

Planetary Nebula NGC 4361 in Corvus

T. A. — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 22:58:17 +0000

NGC 4361 is a planetary nebula located in the centre of the Corvus constellation. The nebula surrounds a magnitude 13 star and resembles a faint elliptical galaxy.

Planetary Nebula NGC 4361

Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Rho Coronae Borealis

T. A. — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 21:44:11 +0000

Rho Coronae Borealis is a yellow dwarf star considered to be a solar twin: a star with roughly equal mass, luminosity and radius to the Sun. In 1997, scientists confirmed an extrasolar planet orbiting the star.

Rho Coronae Borealis lies 57 light-years from Earth, in the small northern constellation Corona Borealis.

Rho Coronae Borealis

Photo: Marhorr

Nebula NGC 6729 in Corona Australis

T. A. — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 21:52:10 +0000

NGC 6729 was one of the three nebulae discovered by the German astronomer Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt in 1861.It is a combination reflection and emission nebula that surrounds the star R Coronae Australis, an Orion-type variable located in the constellation Corona Australis.

NGC 6729 in Corona Australis

Photo: Wikisky.org

Coma Cluster in Coma Berenices Constellation

T. A. — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:01:57 +0000

The Coma Cluster, or Abell 1656, is a galaxy cluster located in the constellation Coma Berenices, or Berenice’s Hair. The cluster lies 300 million light-years from Earth. It consists of approximately a thousand large galaxies and about 30,000 smaller ones.

Coma Cluster (Abell 1656) in Coma Berenices

Photo: Hubblesite.org

Starburst Galaxy NGC 1808 in Columba

T. A. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:45:32 +0000

NGC 1808 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the Columba constellation, some 40 million light-years away. The galaxy’s central region is a site of intense star formation.

NGC 1808 in Columba Constellation

Photo: Hubblesite.org

Circinus Galaxy

T. A. — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:34:48 +0000

The Circinus Galaxy, located in the constellation Circinus, approximately 13 million light-years away, is a spiral galaxy first discovered in 1975, notable for its two distinct rings formed by tumultuous gas motions. It is classified as a type 2 Seyfert galaxy; a spiral galaxy having a compact centre and believed to contain a massive black hole,

Circinus Galaxy

Photo: Hubblesite.org

Messier 77: Barred Spiral Galaxy in Constellation Cetus

T. A. — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 21:58:43 +0000

Messier 77, or NGC 1068, is a barred spiral galaxy located in the Cetus constellation, approximately 47 million light-years distant from Earth and 170,000 light-years in diameter.

Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1068 (Messier 77) in Cetus

Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946) in Cepheus Constellation

T. A. — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:55:43 +0000

The Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946)is a large spiral galaxy located in the Cepheus constellation, near the border with Cygnus. It has a visual apparent magnitude of 11 and is not always easy to observe even in large telescopes.

The Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946) in Cepheus

Photo: Simon Driver (St. Andrews)

Centaurus A (NGC 5128) in Centaurus Constellation

T. A. — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:45:42 +0000

Centaurus A (NGC 5128) is a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Centaurus, lying about 11 million light-years from Earth. Centaurus A contains mostly red stars well into the evolution cycle. It is the fifth brightest galaxy in night sky.

Centaurus A in Centaurus Constellation

Photo: European Southern Observatory