APOD 3.5

 

Spiral galaxies are some of the most photogenic objects in the universe. Their complex makeup makes them, under color enhanced imagery, beautiful to look at. When people want astrology themed tattoos, make now are getting pseudo-galaxy images. M106, pictured above, has an unusual and captivating center. The core is glowing under radio waves and x-rays; the blue are made of gas and stars, the red indicates dust lanes. The glow is thought to be an example of the Seyfert class of galaxies, or unimaginable amounts of glowing gas thought to be falling into a massive black hole. This galaxy is located 23.5 million light year away, spanning 60 of those light years across. M106 can be seen, due to its brightness, through a small telescope towards the constellation Canes Venatici, or "Hunting Dogs". 

Johann G. Galle Sources

Johann Gottfried Galle

·         "Johann Gottfried Galle." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 5: 1800 to 1899. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 495. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

·         "Galle, Johann Gottfried." Complete Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Vol. 5. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 256-259. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

·          "Galle, Johann Gottfried." The Columbia Encyclopedia. 6th Ed.. 2014. "Galle, Johann Gottfried." Encyclopedia.com. HighBeam Research, 01 Jan. 2008. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

APOD 3.4

Grand design is right. M100, a spiral galaxy is made up of over 100 billion stars. The defined spiral arms are similar to the one's we can find right here at home in the Milky Way Galaxy. M100 stands out as one of the brightest members of the larger Virgo Cluster of galaxies. M100 or NGC 4321 is 56 million light-years away, located near the constellation Berenice's Hair, or Coma Berenices. This particular image was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009. The bright blue star clusters and intricate winding dust lanes are the hallmark of the grand design galaxy class. This particular galaxy has been critical in helping astronomers determine the size and age of the Universe.

Star Formation Regions and Stellar Nurseries

Star Formation Regions and Stellar Nurseries

• http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/02/astronomers-observe-multiple-star-formation-stellar-nursery/
• A new stellar nursery was discovered in the area known as Barnard 5 (B5), around 800 light-years away in the constellation Perseus.

• This gas complex will become a multiple-star system in about 40,000 years

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150211-starstruck-multiple-star-birth-astronomy-science/

•  http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/Cyberia/Bima/StarForm.html 

APOD 3.3

Sometimes, the United States gets to witness cool things too. Unexpectedly, auroras appeared over a thunderstorm in Minnesota in May of 2013. The streaks are red sprites, a brief instance of rarely imaged high-altitude lighting. The flashes were so bright they were witnessed by many. The sprites likely followed an extremely powerful low-altitude lighting bolt. The energy accompanied the green aurora pictured next to the house. This image is thought to be the second known case of sprites and auroras photographed. It is thought that it is the first time the two have been photographed in true colors.