I find astronomy to be fascinating.
A place where you can let your imagination roam, transporting you away from the clutter of everyday life, to gaze with wonderment at remote shining elegance and mystery.
The universe is a mostly cold and empty place. Yet, throughout the vastness of space, there are objects of brilliant beauty, displayed like glistening jewels on a dark, velvet background.
Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we have been graced with the ability to peek into the past, and view these objects in all their splendor.
After being sidelined with numerous technical problems, the HST is back in action, better than ever, due to a successful repair and upgrade mission performed this past May.
Here are just a few early samples of the scope's new power:
The above photo is from a star-forming cloud in the Carina Nebula. The top portion of the photo was taken with the new equipment. The bottom with the old. The difference in detail is stunning.
"These four images are among the first observations made by the new Wide Field Camera 3 aboard the upgraded NASA Hubble Space Telescope.
The image at top left shows NGC 6302, a butterfly-shaped nebula surrounding a dying star. At top right is a picture of a clash among members of a galactic grouping called Stephan's Quintet. The image at bottom left gives viewers a panoramic portrait of a colorful assortment of 100,000 stars residing in the crowded core of Omega Centauri, a giant globular cluster. At bottom right, an eerie pillar of star birth in the Carina Nebula rises from a sea of greenish-colored clouds." (Photo and explanation via HubbleSite.)
If you have some time, take a look at the link above.
The site is fascinating.
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Comments (14)
The heavens declare His han... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | September 9, 2009 8:30 PM | Score: 4 (8 votes cast)
The heavens declare His handiwork.
1. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | September 9, 2009 8:30 PM |
Score: 4 (8 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2009 20:30
2. Posted by 914 | September 9, 2009 9:18 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Oh MY GOD!!
2. Posted by 914 | September 9, 2009 9:18 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2009 21:18
3. Posted by GarandFan | September 9, 2009 9:38 PM | Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Yep, any atheist can look at those pics and say "It all happened by chance".
3. Posted by GarandFan | September 9, 2009 9:38 PM |
Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2009 21:38
4. Posted by Meiji_man | September 9, 2009 11:44 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Screw Cancun, I want to go THERE
4. Posted by Meiji_man | September 9, 2009 11:44 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2009 23:44
5. Posted by hyperbolist | September 10, 2009 12:00 AM | Score: -1 (7 votes cast)
It's difficult to tell whether it's only your imagination or your intellect as a whole that is woefully stunted, GF.
Read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Read Hawking. Just read something.
5. Posted by hyperbolist | September 10, 2009 12:00 AM |
Score: -1 (7 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 00:00
6. Posted by Oyster | September 10, 2009 6:53 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Look at that bottom left picture and tell me, without a doubt, that there is no other intelligent life out there.
We bought a telescope a couple years ago and it's amazing to just look at something like the drab moon we ignore every night as it rises. Living on the edge of town we're not so much assaulted with artificial light and we get some pretty good views. I've seen four of Jupiter's moons from my back yard. I can totally understand how some people have so easily dedicated their lives to peering through telescopes. It never gets boring.
6. Posted by Oyster | September 10, 2009 6:53 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 06:53
7. Posted by JC Hammer | September 10, 2009 7:27 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Awesome pictures. It does make one wonder if there is other life out there. If there is, I wonder if their govt is as screwed up as ours is.
7. Posted by JC Hammer | September 10, 2009 7:27 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 07:27
8. Posted by Cloudfish | September 10, 2009 9:54 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
I spent about 3 hours last night looking through my 8 inch Schmidt-Cassegrain. I need a Hubble for my backyard....
8. Posted by Cloudfish | September 10, 2009 9:54 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 09:54
9. Posted by Tim | September 10, 2009 10:31 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
I stared at the bottom left picture for 10 minutes, but I still don't see the f'ing sailboat, dammit.
9. Posted by Tim | September 10, 2009 10:31 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 10:31
10. Posted by Dutch Translator | September 10, 2009 10:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
My goodness! It used to be just a plain blue sky from my end. Now I can see beyond! Amazing! Whoever painted these wonderful things you see up there must have known perfection! Awesome! It is sooooooooo beautiful.
Thank you for making me feel good by seeing all these.
10. Posted by Dutch Translator | September 10, 2009 10:56 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 10:56
11. Posted by Flu-Bird | September 10, 2009 12:51 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
So wheres the proof of the BIG BANG and WHERE IS ALPHA CENTARI? WHERES THE JUPITER 2?
11. Posted by Flu-Bird | September 10, 2009 12:51 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 12:51
12. Posted by Rand-om | September 10, 2009 7:55 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
ACtually, the bottom image is infrared, from the same camera: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/multimedia/ero/index.html
In the image at bottom, taken in infrared light, the dense column and the surrounding greenish-colored gas all but disappear. Only a faint outline of the pillar remains.
12. Posted by Rand-om | September 10, 2009 7:55 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 19:55
13. Posted by MF | September 10, 2009 10:52 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm Breathless
13. Posted by MF | September 10, 2009 10:52 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2009 22:52
14. Posted by Tina S | September 11, 2009 7:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I've always been fascinated by space and the ocean. Heres something I just came across thats pretty interesting.
More info
14. Posted by Tina S | September 11, 2009 7:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 11, 2009 19:17