Astro-Images | Pillars of Creation

I’ve created color composites from three grayscale images using the technique in this post. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Unless otherwise noted, all images used three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images.

NGC 6611 From ESO

The Eagle Nebula is about 7000 lt yrs distant in the constellation Serpens of the southern skies. The cluster of bright stars at the core was discovered by Jean-Philippe de Chéseaux in 1745-46. Images today show much more detail than Chéseaux was able to see. This image made from 3 greyscale components by the European Southern Observatory in 2009 shows those details. The very bright open cluster of stars barely right of center causes gases to glow and silhouettes of the dust regions. Those bright young stars formed 1-2 million yrs ago.

ESO | European Southern Observatory

 

Astro-Images | Four Nebulae

I’ve created color composites from three grayscale images using the technique in this post. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Unless otherwise noted, all images used three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images.

NGC 7009

The Saturn Nebula is in the constellation Aquarius. William Herschel found it 7 Sep 1782 using a telescope in his garden. The image he saw had a central bulge with narrow extensions on either side that made it look a bit like Saturn. Images today show more detail and make it look less like Saturn. The hot central star is emitting jets of debris to the upper left and lower right.

Saturn Nebula

 

Astro-Images | Rectangle | Gem | Rings

I enjoy creating color images from three grayscale images. The post linked here will explain how to create color astronomical images. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images. Unless otherwise noted, all images are made by me using three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive.

NGC 6445

Can an exploding star create debris in the shape of a rectangular box? It appears that is what happened with the Red Rectangle nebula. It is found in the constellation Monoceros which is just to the left of Orion. The nebula was discovered in 1973 when scientists were using a rocket to search for infrared sources. The two stars at the center of the nebula were discovered in 1915.

 

Consider this model of the Red Rectangle. To make it, I put an image of a wine glass stem-to-stem with another and placed them horizontal. Two stars are in orbit where the stems join. One of the stars is nearing the end of its life cycle and is emitting large amounts of gases in two directions (left and right) along the axis of spin. The excited gases appear red. This model is not viewed exactly 90˚ to the axis. The actual image above is actually 90˚ to the axis of spin.

In the image above, there are variations in the cones emitted to the left and right. They are disruptions to the flow of gases from the source star caused by the other star in orbit around the source.

 

Astro-Images | Trifid | Ghosts | Black Eye

I enjoy creating color images from three grayscale images. The post linked here will explain how to create color astronomical images. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images. Unless otherwise noted, all images are made by me using three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive.

NGC 6514

It rises like a two-horned monster out of the dark clouds below. Instead, it is a lobe of dust and gas illuminated and eroded by intensely powerful stars out of the field of view to the right. Part of the Trifid Nebula, discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier, this lobe is a star forming region. The ‘horns’ and ‘tadpole’ appearances are due to the presence of very dense clumps of dust and gas at the tips which are more slowly blown to the left by the strong stellar winds. The three-lobed Trifid is in Sagittarius. This Hubble image is only a small part of the entire nebula.

 

Astro-Images | Death | Cat’s Eye | Jellyfish

I enjoy creating color images from three grayscale images. The post linked here will explain how to create color astronomical images. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images. Unless otherwise noted, all images are made by me using three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive.

NGC 6210

This is another example of a dying Sun-like star. Each one results in a unique shape and color. The star that made this nebula is in the center. The nebula is located 6500 light years away in the constellation Hercules in the northern skies.

 

Astro-Images | Galaxy Cores | Hot Bubbles

I enjoy creating color images from three grayscale images. The post linked here will explain how to create color astronomical images. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images. Unless otherwise noted, all images are made by me using three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive.

NGC 3081

It doesn’t look like a spiral galaxy. The bright core is surrounded by a glowing bluish ring. NGC 3081 is about 86 million light years from us in the constellation of Hydra (The Sea Serpent). The outer ring has numerous blue knots where new stars are forming. Blue around the core also indicates new star formation. The bright glow in the core center is thought to be caused by a supermassive black hole as it takes in material. This is a good example of the Seyfert class of galaxies.

 

Astro-Images | Views From The Edge

I enjoy creating color images from three grayscale images. The post linked here will explain how to create color astronomical images. The colors assigned are not necessarily what the human eye would see, but are used to bring out details. Visit the gallery of previous Astro-Images. Unless otherwise noted, all images are made by me using three original grayscales from the Hubble Legacy Archive.

NGC 4565

This is the first of three examples of galaxies viewed edge-on. Each shows the dust in the plane of the galactic disk which absorbs light from the stars behind. Also known as the Needle because of its thin appearance, this Hubble image is quite enlarged to show detail. It is found in the constellation Coma Berenices of the northern skies. Click to embiggen any image.