What is casting dark shadows across 36,000 light-years of space in this Hubble Space Telescope image?
The mysterious dark rays appearing to emanate from galaxy IC 5063 have intrigued astronomers, and there are a few different ideas about what is causing them. They could be like the shadows of clouds when light from the setting Sun pierces through them.
Astronomers have traced the rays back to the galaxy’s core, the location of an active supermassive black hole. One idea suggests that the shadows are being cast into space by an inner tube-shaped ring, or torus, of dusty material surrounding the black hole.
Credit: NASA, ESA, and W.P. Maksym (CfA).
ALT TEXT: Rust-colored view of space, with a bright, narrow purple region at the center, a galaxy. Background stars and galaxies are scattered sparsely—this is a dusty rather than starry scene. To the upper left of the bright central region are dark dust lanes. Opposite these to the lower right, one dark area extends from the central bright region and splits into two dark rays. Similar dark rays can be seen to the top left, behind the dust lanes. The edges of the entire image are dark, fading from the colored center.
Wed. Oct. 30: We'll be closed tonight due to clouds. We'll try again next week!
In short: reblogging is awesome. Reposting isn't.
NASA's Perseverance rover has been collecting rock samples on Mars for 4 years now, and already there are some exciting finds! Check out the article here:
Mare Cognitum ("The Sea that has Become Known") with Kuiper crater at the center // l'AstroVan
Mare Cognitum ("The Sea that has Become Known") is the landing sites of several lunar missions. Ranger 7 (1964) impacted here after its mission was finished; Surveyor 3 (1967) and Apollo 12 (1969) landed near its northern shore; and Apollo 14 (1971) landed near this mare as well.
Kuiper crater is named after the Dutch-American astronomy Gerard Kuiper (1905-1973), the father of modern planetary science
This striking image captures the interacting galaxy pair known as Arp-Madore 2339-661, so named because they belong to the Arp-Madore catalogue of peculiar galaxies. However, this particular peculiarity might be even odder than first meets the eye, as there are in fact three galaxies interacting here, not just two.
The two clearly defined galaxies are NGC 7733 (smaller, lower right) and NGC 7734 (larger, upper left). The third galaxy is currently referred to as NGC 7733N, and can actually be spotted in this picture if you look carefully at the upper arm of NGC 7733, where there is a visually notable knot-like structure, glowing with a different colour to the arm and obscured by dark dust.
Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Picture of the Day!
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of the iconic Pillars of Creation, a region where new stars are being born within thick clouds of gas and dust. The three-dimensional pillars resemble towering rock formations, yet they are much more porous. Composed of cool interstellar gas and dust, they sometimes appear semi-transparent in near-infrared light.
Study smarter this school year! We asked scientists, engineers, astronauts, and experts from across NASA about their favorite study tips – and they delivered. Here are a few of our favorites:
Find friends that are like-minded and work together to understand the material better. Trading ideas with a friend on how to tackle a problem can help you both strengthen your understanding.
Find a quiet space or put on headphones so you can focus. You might not be able to get to the International Space Station yet, but a library, a study room, or a spot outside can be a good place to study. If it’s noisy around you, try using headphones to block out distractions.
Don’t burn yourself out! Take a break, go for a walk, get some water, and come back to it.
Looking for more study tips? Check out this video for all ten tips to start your school year off on the right foot!
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The Dolphin Head Nebula (Sh2-308, right) and Sh2-303 (left) // Jim Thommes
3/19/25: So far it looks likely to cloud up, but we'll wait a few more hours before deciding whether to hold our public night.
Video of the Day!
NASA’s next mission to the Moon will carry LEXI (the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager), an instrument which will provide the first-ever global view of the magnetic field that shields Earth from solar radiation!
STEM Education, Astrophysics Research, Astrophotography, and Outreach located at 24 Park Ave., Bridgewater MA. You'll find us on the two outdoor balconies on the 5th floor, and you'll find our official website here: https://www.bridgew.edu/center/case/observatory .
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