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NGC 3621
The supernova SN 2024ggi in the NGC 3621 galaxy
This image shows the location of the supernova SN 2024ggi in the NGC 3621 galaxy. It was taken on 11 April 2024, just 26 hours after the initial detection of the supernova. The image was obtained with the FORS2 instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). Among other capabilities, FORS2...
SN 2026gzf
NSF–DOE Rubin image of the field around the progenitor to supernova SN 2026gzf
This image shows the field around the progenitor to supernova SN 2026gzf, detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026. The supernova progenitor appears as a bright blue dot within the galaxy located in the middle of the upper third at the center of this image. View a series of close-up...
DECam image of the field around the progenitor to supernova SN 2026gzf
This image shows the field around the progenitor to supernova SN 2026gzf, detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026. The supernova progenitor appears as a bright blue dot within the galaxy located at the center of this image. View a series of close-up images that show the evolving...
Rubin image of SN 2026gzf host galaxy pre-explosion (May 2025–January 2026)
This image shows the host galaxy of the recently detected supernova SN 2026gzf. This supernova was first detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026. This image of the host galaxy, created by stacking multiple images taken between May 2025 and January 2026, reveals a bright blue source at...
DECam image of supernova SN 2026gzf (25 March 2026)
This image shows supernova SN 2026gzf, which appears as a bright blue point source in the upper right corner of the host galaxy. SN 2026gzf was first detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026, and this image was taken just a few days later on 25 March 2026. This image was captured with...
DECam image of supernova SN 2026gzf host galaxy pre-explosion (9 March 2016)
This image shows the host galaxy of the recently detected supernova SN 2026gzf. This supernova was first detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026. This archival image of the host galaxy from 9 March 2016 reveals a bright blue source at the location of the supernova. Scientists say this...
DECam image of supernova SN 2026gzf (3 April 2026)
This image shows supernova SN 2026gzf, which appears as a bright blue point source in the upper right corner of the host galaxy. SN 2026gzf was first detected by the Einstein Probe on 21 March 2026, and this image was taken a couple of weeks later on 3 April 2026. This image was captured with...
Betelgeuse
A bubbling Betelgeuse
Today’s Picture of the Week, taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), reveals one of the most detailed views yet of the surface of Betelgeuse — the famous orange star in the constellation of Orion, 600 light-years away. Unlike our own Sun, which is relatively smooth...
Crab Nebula
Crab Nebula (2024)
NASA?s Hubble Space Telescope captured the intricate detail of the Crab Nebula with its Wide Field Camera 3. The colors in the image trace Hubble?s detection of oxygen and sulfur gases in the nebula at varying densities and energies. The blue areas are the hottest and lowest density. While...
GRB 250702B
GRB 250314A Pull-out (NIRCam Image)
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope identified the source of a super bright flash of light known as a gamma-ray burst: a supernova that exploded when the universe was only 730 million years old. Webb’s high-resolution near-infrared images also detected the supernova’s host galaxy. Its quick-turn...
Hodge 301
The Hodge 301 Cluster: Multiple Generations of Stars in the Tarantula Nebula
In the most active starburst region in the local universe lies a cluster of brilliant, massive stars, known to astronomers as Hodge 301. Hodge 301, seen in the lower right hand corner of this image, lives inside the Tarantula Nebula in our galactic neighbor, the Large Magellanic Cloud. This...
MS1054-0321
Bright Knot of Light From Supernova in Galaxy Cluster MS1054-0321
The bright knot of light from the supernova and the fainter glow from the parent galaxy are shown
Crab Nebula
Crab Nebula (2024 Hubble image)
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the intricate detail of the Crab Nebula with its Wide Field Camera 3. The colours in the image trace Hubble’s detection of oxygen and sulfur gases in the nebula at varying densities and energies. The blue areas are the hottest and lowest density....
SNR 0509-67.5
Distribution of calcium around the supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5
This image shows the distribution of calcium in the supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5. The data were captured with the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument at ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). The overlaid curves outline two concentric shells of calcium that were ejected in two...
SNR 0509-67.5
VLT image of a double-detonation supernova
This image, taken with ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), shows the supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5. These are the expanding remains of a star that exploded hundreds of years ago in a double-detonation – the first photographic evidence that stars can die with two blasts. The data were captured...
NGC 1637
NASA’s Webb Telescope Locates Former Star That Exploded as Supernova
The main image at left shows a view of spiral galaxy NGC 1637 from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble’s shorter-wavelength data is represented in blue and green, while Webb’s longer-wavelength data is represented in green and red. Panels at the right show a...
Cassiopeia A
Cassiopeia A Light Echoes (Spitzer Context)
This background image of the region around supernova remnant Cassiopeia A was released by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope in 2008. By taking multiple images of this region over three years with Spitzer, researchers were able to examine a number of light echoes. Now, NASA’s James Webb Space...
Cassiopeia A
Cassiopeia A Light Echoes (NIRCam Images)
These shimmering cosmic curtains show interstellar gas and dust that has been heated by the flashbulb explosion of a long-ago supernova. The gas then glows infrared light in what is known as a thermal light echo. As the supernova illumination travels through space at the speed of light, the...
Ve 7–27
Young or old? — There’s both
Today’s Picture of the Week represents an unexpected full circle moment. The depicted object, known as Ve 7–27, was long believed to be a planetary nebula — the end phase of a sun-like star’s life. But ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) has shown that it’s actually a still-forming baby star. ...
NGC 2359
Thor’s Helmet, NGC 2359
Thor’s Helmet in Canis Major is about 15,000 light years distant. A large bright star near the helmet’s center has created this interstellar bubble by the force of its “stellar wind”. However, this star, known as a Wolf-Rayet star, may go supernova in the relatively near astronomical future. In...
NGC 7722
Dark rings and new light
For this Picture of the Month from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, we have a sight of an uncommon galaxy with a striking appearance. This is NGC 7722, a lenticular galaxy located about 187 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. A “lenticular”, meaning “lens-shaped”, galaxy...
NGC 7722
NGC 7722 in dark surroundings (wide crop)
For this Picture of the Month from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, we have a sight of an uncommon galaxy with a striking appearance. This is NGC 7722, a lenticular galaxy located about 187 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. A “lenticular”, meaning “lens-shaped”, galaxy...
RCW 86
Dynastic Vibes
The SMARTS 0.9-meter Telescope at Cerro-Tololo International Observatory (CTIO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab, has captured an echo of the past in this gorgeous Image of the Week. RCW 86 is a literal shell of its former self, the gaseous remnant of a supernova. Some 11,000 years ago a white dwarf,...
M1
A legendary nebula
The nebula that keeps on giving, Messier 1 (Crab Nebula) is captured here by the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope from Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab. The storied history of this supernova remnant in modern astronomy begins when it was recorded in 1731 by...
Pup A
Supernova Remnant Puppis A
Puppis A (Pup A) is a supernova remnant about 100 light-years in diameter and roughly 6500–7000 light-years away. This object is one of the many cosmic treasures found within the new 1.3 gigapixel Vela Supernova Remnant image, captured with the Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy...
PNG 262.4-01.9
Planetary Nebula PNG 262.4-01.9
This is the planetary nebula PNG 262.4-01.9. A planetary nebula is a region of cosmic gas and dust formed from the cast-off outer layers of a dying star. This object is one of the many cosmic treasures found within the new 1.3 gigapixel Vela Supernova Remnant image, captured with the Department...
Pickering's Triangle
Double-Wide Image of Pickering's Triangle
A new wide-field image of Pickering's Triangle taken with the National Science Foundation's Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory is being released today in Austin, Texas, at the 211th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Pickering's Triangle is part of the Cygnus...
TGU H1674
Dark Nebula TGU H1674
This is the dark nebula TGU H1674. Dark nebulae – or absorption nebulae – are clouds of gas and dust that are so dense they obscure and block visible light, making them appear inky black against the starry background. This object is one of the many cosmic treasures found within the new 1.3...
CI Ferrero 54
Globular Star Cluster CI Ferrero 54
This is the globular star cluster CI Ferrero 54. A globular cluster is a spheroidal conglomeration of stars that is bound together by gravity, with a higher concentration of stars towards their centers. This object is one of the many cosmic treasures found within the new 1.3 gigapixel Vela...
[FSR2007] 1410
Open Star Cluster [FSR2007] 1410
This is the open star cluster [FSR2007] 1410. An open star cluster is a loosely bound group of a few tens to a few hundred stars. They are found in spiral and irregular galaxies. This object is one of the many cosmic treasures found within the new 1.3 gigapixel Vela Supernova Remnant image,...
Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
Background Galaxy Found in Image of Vela Supernova Remnant
This image shows a distant, twinkling spiral galaxy — one of the many cosmic treasures found within the new 1.3 gigapixel Vela Supernova Remnant image, captured with the Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera, mounted on the US National Science Foundation's Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter...
NGC 3370
Focusing on NGC 3370
Today’s ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week features a galaxy that Hubble has captured multiple times over more than 20 years. The galaxy is called NGC 3370, and it is a spiral galaxy located nearly 90 million light-years away in the constellation Leo (The Lion). What is it about this galaxy that...
NGC 3370
NGC 3370 (wide view)
Today’s ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week features a galaxy that Hubble has captured multiple times over more than 20 years. The galaxy is called NGC 3370, and it is a spiral galaxy located nearly 90 million light-years away in the constellation Leo (The Lion). What is it about this galaxy that...
SN 2002ic
SN2002ic
This image of Supernova 2002ic was taken at the Swope 1-meter telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile on January 7, 2003. The supernova is the bright point of light in the center, at the intersection of two background galaxies. The host galaxy of the supernova is extremely faint and is...
NGC 6000
Yellow and blue, old and new
Stars of all ages are on display in today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week. This sparkling spiral galaxy is called NGC 6000 and it is located 102 million light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. This galaxy has a glowing yellow centre and glittering blue outskirts....
Vela Supernova Remnant
This is all that’s left of a giant star
Around 11 000 years ago a massive star ended its life in a powerful explosion, known as a supernova. During explosions like this, shock waves ripple out through the surrounding gas, compressing it into intricate thread-like structures. The energy that’s released during a supernova then heats...
MSH 15-52
X-ray, Radio Go 'Hand in Hand' in New NASA Image
In 2009, Chandra released a captivating image: a pulsar and its surrounding nebula that is shaped like a hand. Since then, astronomers have used Chandra and other telescopes to continue to observe this object.
NGC 4088
NGC 4088
This spiral galaxy is located about 50 million lightyears away in the constellation Ursa Major. It had the third brightest supernova to be detected in 2009. It is part of a group of up to 50 other galaxies. This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak...
Arp 217
The Bow and Arrow Galaxy
None This image was made by combining three CCD frames, taken at the Kitt Peak National Observatory's 0.9-meter telescope in April of 1987. By using different filters in front of the monochrome detector, corresponding approximately to the primary colors red, green and blue, it is possible to...
SN 2003gd
Massive Old Star Reveals Secrets On Deathbed
Image from the Isaac Newton Telescope with the Wide Field Camera taken on 25th August 2003 by Jonathan Irwin (IoA). It shows the position of the fading supernova which by then was some six months old.
NGC 6960
The Veil Nebula, NGC 6960.
The north central portion of the Veil Nebula in the constellation Cygnus, as seen by the Kitt Peak 4-meter Mayall telescope in 1973. This large loop of gas was ejected about 30 to 40 thousand years ago from a supernova. It is also known as the Cygnus Loop. North is to the right.
Arp 29
NGC 6946 in Cygnus
NGC6946 (Arp 29) is a face-on SAB(rs)cd galaxy in the constellation Cygnus. This classification refers to the presence of a small core with multiple well-defined arms (cd), with a poorly-developed bar across the middle (AB) and an inner confused ring (rs). Nearly twenty million light-years from...
SN 1987A
Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud
None Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud appears as a very bright object near the center of this color photograph made by Marcelo Bass of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO). The photograph was taken at NOAO's Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatory, on March 2nd 1987,...
NGC 4495
A Storm of Light
The constellation Coma Berenices hosts the galaxy NGC 4495 among myriad other astronomical objects. This galaxy has a tumultuous history: several supernovae have been recorded over the years, including the three named 1994S, 2010lo, and 2011ca. This last burst of energy from a dying star can be...
M1
Cosmic Ripples — image created with FITS Liberator
This image was “liberated” with the FITS Liberator from the FITS file from the Gemini North telescope. It captures the heart of Messier 1, the Crab Nebula. Formed by a colossal supernova explosion in the year 1054, the Crab Nebula consists of the outer layers of a now-dead massive star strewn...
NGC 2835
Noteworthy nearby spiral
Today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week offers a closeup of a nearby spiral galaxy. The subject is NGC 2835, which lies 35 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra (The Water Snake). A previous Hubble image of this galaxy was released in 2020, and the NASA/ESA/CSA...
RCW 86
DECam Images RCW 86, Remains of Supernova Witnessed in 185
The tattered shell of the first-ever recorded supernova was captured by the US Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera, which is mounted on the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, a Program of NSF...
Stephenson 2 DFK 52
A unique supergiant star
Today’s Picture of the Week is reminiscent of the 3D images that you require flimsy paper red and cyan glasses to properly view. What we’re seeing in this photo is actually a red supergiant star expelling a cloud of gas and dust as it nears the end of its life. These nebulae are common around...
M101
Gemini North Back On Sky With Dazzling Image of Supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy
Gemini North, part of the International Gemini Observatory operated by NSF NOIRLab, is back observing the night sky following the repair and refurbishment of its primary mirror. The telescope’s debut observation captured the supernova dubbed SN 2023ixf (lower left), which was discovered on 19...
Barnard 175
vdB 152, Barnard 175
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Also known as Barnard 175, vdB 152 is a reflection nebula atop of a dark Bok globule. Embedded in the top right side of the nebula is the Herbig Haro object...
NGC 6164
Nebula NGC 6164-5
NGC 6164-5 imaged at Gemini South. The emission nebula NGC 6164-5 is a rectangular, bipolar cloud with rounded corners and a diagonal bar producing an inverted S-shaped appearance. It lies about 1,300 parsecs (4,200 light-years) away in the constellation Norma. The nebula measures about 1.3...
Bubble Nebula
The Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635)
The Bubble Nebula (NGC7635) is one of three shells of gas surrounding the massive star BD+602522, the bright star near the center of the bubble. Energetic radiation from the star ionizes the shell, causing it to glow. About six light-years in diameter, the Bubble Nebula is located in the...
NGC 6960
The Veil Nebula, NGC 6960
This image of the Veil Nebula was taken with the Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. The Veil Nebula (NGC 6960) is part of a supernova remnant known as the Cygnus Loop. It is the shattered remains of one, and possibly two, supernovae that exploded...
Cygnus Loop
NGC 6992 (Cygnus Loop)
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak, Arizona. NGC 6992 is part of a large supernova remnant called the Cygnus Loop. It is located about 1,500 light-years from Earth. The Cynus Loop is the remains of a star that...
M101
Supernova SN2011fe in M101
This close-up image of the nearby galaxy M101 was obtained with the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. M101 is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major and is quite similar to our own Galaxy. It is about 20 million light years (6.4 Mpc) away. The supernova is...
NGC 253
Sculptor Galaxy, NGC 253
NGC 253 also goes by the name of “Sculptor Galaxy” after its parent constellation, or by the name “Silver Dollar Galaxy”, presumably after its visual appearance in the eyepiece. NGC 253 is classified as a starburst galaxy, but interestingly, only 1 supernova has been found within it. It is a...
Veil Nebula
Veil Nebula (partial)
The Veil nebula, also known as the Cygnus Loop, is an enormous region of diffuse gas emission, covering several degrees on the sky. Although this image is over a degree across (more than 40 light-years), using the full wide-field capability of the Schmidt telescope, it still shows only the...
Crab Nebula
M1, NGC 1952, Crab Nebula
This is a color composite formed from two images of the well-known Crab Nebula, taken on the night of October 27th 1995 with the NOAO/STIS/Tektronix 2048x2048 CCD detector on the 3.5-meter WIYN telescope. At the focal plane of the WIYN, this detector has a sampling scale of 0.2 arc seconds per...
G70.5+1.9
Supernova Remnant, G70.5+1.9
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. G70.5+1.9 is located near the edge of the giant HII emission nebula Sharpless 100 (Sh2-100). It is likely a supernova remnant, the leftovers of a star that...
Cygnus Loop
Veil Filaments (Cygnus Loop)
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. It shows faint filaments that are part of a large supernova remnant called the Cygnus Loop. It is located about 1,500 light-years from Earth. These filaments...
Crab Nebula
M1, NGC 1952, Crab Nebula
The famous Crab Nebula, Messier object 1 and NGC1952. This image of the well-known Crab Nebula was taken using Ektachrome film at the prime focus of the Kitt Peak 4-meter telescope on October 1st 1973. This is unusual because most astronomical pictures are coloured by combining three different...
SN 2002dj
SN2002dj in NGC 5018
None This image of Supernova 2002dj was taken at the 0.9-meter telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile on 14 June 2002. SN 2002dj is a Type-Ia supernova located in the nearby, early-type galaxy NGC5018. The supernova is the bluish object to the right of the galactic...
Crab Nebula
M1, NGC 1952, Crab Nebula
This is an enhanced color composite formed from two images of the well-known Crab Nebula, taken on the night of October 27th 1995 with the NOAO/STIS/Tektronix 2048x2048 CCD detector on the 3.5-meter WIYN telescope. At the focal plane of the WIYN, this detector has a sampling scale of 0.2 arc...
WR 157
Sharpless 157 (WR 157)
This image of Supernova 2002ic was taken at the Swope 1-meter telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile on January 7, 2003. The supernova is the bright point of light in the center, at the intersection of two background galaxies. The host galaxy of the supernova is extremely faint and is...
Cygnus Loop
Panoramic Loop in Cygnus
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak, Arizona. It shows faint filaments that are part of a large supernova remnant called the Cygnus Loop. The Cygnus Loop is a giant supernova remnant. It is the remains of a star that...
30 Doradus
30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)
This image of 30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) was taken with the Curtis Schmidt telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile, as part of the Magellanic Cloud Emission Line Survey (MCELS) project. The Tarantula Nebula is a giant...
NGC 6960
Veil Nebula (partial)
The Veil nebula, also known as the Cygnus Loop, is an enormous region of diffuse gas emission, covering several degrees on the sky. Although this image is over a degree across (more than 40 light-years), using the full wide-field capability of the Schmidt telescope, it still shows only the...
IC 443
IC 443 Widefield
This supernova remnant is about 5000 years from Earth in the constellation Gemini. Can you see why it is sometimes called the Jellyfish Nebula? This image was taken as part of Advanced Observing Program (AOP) program at Kitt Peak Visitor Center during 2014.
NGC 6962
NGC 6962
Based on an estimated distance of 180 million light years away, NGC 6962 is an intrinsically large galaxy. Many other galaxies punctuate the field of the group; but NGC 6962 is by far the most prominent. In 2002 a supernova explosion took place in one the outer arms of this galaxy. The event...
NGC 3953
NGC 3953
Like its more well-known neighbor M109, this galaxy is a surprising copy-cat barred spiral galaxy. Slightly more inclined and with tightly wound arms, NGC 3953 is a seemingly more spirited galaxy 46 million light years away. In 2001 astronomers discovered a supernova in this galaxy. Also note...
NGC 4013
NGC 4013
NGC 4013 is a relatively small edge-on galaxy in the constellation of Virgo. The structure of this galaxy is very similar to NGC 891- especially the very fine sprays of dust lanes that rise perpendicular to the disk. The actual core of the galaxy is hidden by the central obscuring dust lane....
NGC 1058
NGC 1058
At a distance of 23 million light years away, NGC 1058 is most likely an intrinsically small spiral galaxy. However the host of bright blue and pink regions shows that this galaxy is actively forming stars. NGC 1058 also harbors a bit of a mystery. This galaxy has had several supernovae go off...
M88
M88
M88 displays a set of tight spiral arms and dust lanes in each. A recent supernova (1991) in M88 helped better determine its distance from us. Stars exploding in other galaxies can be used as a "standard candle" since astronomers know their intrinsic brightness (how bright it would appear at a...
NGC 4559
NGC 4559
This spiral galaxy is located in the direction of Coma Berenices. A type II supernova went off in this galaxy some time ago (SN 1941a). Several papers estimate its apparent magnitude was 13 and absolute magnitude to be around 15.7. From this astronomers would estimate this galaxy to be between...
NGC 1058
Hidden Among Supernovae
Approximately as bright in the night sky as Proxima Centauri, this quiescent spiral galaxy known as NGC 1058 betrays its unassuming appearance with a record of supernovae and starburst activity. Captured by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) at Gemini North, operated by NSF NOIRLab,...
NGC 2403
A Galaxy of Birth and Death
Captured by the Mosaic camera on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab, the spiral galaxy NGC 2403, also known as Caldwell 7, highlights the dynamic birth and death of stars. The glowing red spots dotting the galaxy are...
NGC 1808
The Many Layers of NGC 1808
NGC 1808 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the southern constellation Columba (the dove). This image was captured using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), which is mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a Program of NSF NOIRLab, in...
Sextans A
The Cosmic Jewels of Sextans A
This glittering image captured by the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab, shows the irregular dwarf galaxy Sextans A, which lies around 4.4 million light-years from Earth. This galaxy, which is only a fraction of the size of the...
Cygnus Loop
IC 1340, part of supernova remnant Cygnus Loop
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. IC 1340 is part of a large supernova remnant called the Cygnus Loop. It is located about 1,500 light-years from Earth. Astronomers estimate the supernova...
DEM L316
Supernova Remnant DEM L316
The Gemini South Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) recently captured a dramatic image of a vast cloud complex named DEM L316 located in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The peanut-shaped nebula appears to be a single object, but the latest research indicates that it is really comprised of two...
PSR J2030+4415
Home of a Gamma-ray Pulsar
This mesmerizing field of view harbors an incredible enigma invisible to the human eye. It was captured using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) mounted on the Gemini North telescope in Hawai‘i, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, which is partly funded by the U.S....
NGC 1309
A supernova-rich spiral
Rich with detail, the spiral galaxy NGC 1309 shines in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week. NGC 1309 is situated about 100 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. This stunning Hubble image encompasses NGC 1309’s bluish stars, dark brown gas clouds and...
NGC 3285B
Swirling spiral in Hydra
The swirling spiral galaxy in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week is NGC 3285B, which resides 137 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra (The Water Snake). Hydra has the largest area of the 88 constellations that cover the entire sky in a celestial patchwork....
IC 758
Stirring the interstellar soup
This serene spiral galaxy hides a cataclysmic past. The galaxy IC 758, shown here in today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week, is situated 60 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major. In this Hubble image captured in 2023, IC 758 appears peaceful, its soft...
SN 1987A
Ring-shaped nebula around SN 1987A
High resolution NTT image of supernova SN 1987A taken from La Silla Observatory in December 1993. Seven years after the explosion of SN 1987A, the observations indicate the beginning of a more active phase while the interaction between the stellar material which was ejected during the explosion...
Phoenix Dwarf
An explosive phoenix
This image shows a dwarf galaxy in the southern constellation of Phoenix named, for obvious reasons, the Phoenix Dwarf. The Phoenix Dwarf is unique in that it cannot be classified according to the usual scheme for dwarf galaxies; while its shape would label it as a spheroidal dwarf galaxy —...
NGC 4981
When stars explode
Over 75 million light-years away in the constellation of Virgo (The Virgin) lies NGC 4981 — a spiral galaxy with a rather explosive past. NGC 4981 was discovered on 17 April 1784 by William Herschel, and subsequently documented in John Dreyer’s New General Catalogue. Over a century later, on...
1E 0102.2-7219
MUSE view of the surroundings of a hidden neutron star in the Small Magellanic Cloud
This new picture from the MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile shows how an elusive missing object was found amid a complex tangle of gaseous filaments in one of our nearest neighbouring galaxies, the Small Magellanic Cloud. The wisps of gas forming the supernova remnant 1E...
1E 0102.2-7219
An isolated neutron star in the Small Magellanic Cloud
This new picture created from images from telescopes on the ground and in space tells the story of the hunt for an elusive missing object hidden amid a complex tangle of gaseous filaments in one of our nearest neighbouring galaxies, the Small Magellanic Cloud. The reddish background image comes...
NGC 1187
VLT image of the spiral galaxy NGC 1187
This picture taken with ESO’s Very Large Telescope shows the galaxy NGC 1187. This impressive spiral lies about 60 million light-years away in the constellation of Eridanus (The River). NGC 1187 has hosted two supernova explosions during the last thirty years, the latest one in 2007.
NGC 2442
Hubble image of the Meathook galaxy
This close-up Hubble view of the Meathook Galaxy (NGC 2442) focuses on the more compact of its two asymmetric spiral arms as well as the central regions. The spiral arm was the location of a supernova that exploded in 1999. These observations were made in 2006 in order to study the aftermath of...
NGC 4030
HAWK-I image of NGC 4030
This spiral galaxy, NGC 4030, lies about 75 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation of Virgo. In 2007 Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut who doubles as an amateur astronomer, spotted a supernova — a stellar explosion that is briefly almost as bright as its host galaxy — going off in...
ESO184-G82
A strange Supernova with a gamma-ray burst
The image was obtained before the explosion of supernova SN 1998bw. Image obtained using ESO 1-m Schmidt Telescope; 15 May 1985; 120-min exposure in red light.
SN 1987A
Changes in the ring nebula around SN 1987A
This computer-processed picture is an average of two 15-min exposures, obtained in the light of ionised nitrogen during the morning of December 20, 1993, with the Super Seeing Instrument (SuSI) at the 3.58m ESO New Technology Telescope. It shows the complex structure of the faint nebulae...
Crab Nebula
The central area of the Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula, one of the most famous objects in the northern sky, was observed rather low above the La Silla horizon (altitude) with the NTT. Despite this adverse condition, the picture shows in great detail the complex structure. The Crab Nebula is the remnant of a supernova which exploded...
SN 1987A
Light echo from Supernova 1987A
A double light echo from Supernova 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) was observed on February 13, 1988 with the ESO 3.6 m telescope and the EFOSC instrument (observer: Dr. Michael Rosa). The light echoes are reflections in interstellar clouds in the LMC of the light from the bright...
SN 1987A
Bright supernova in the LMC
This photo of the bright supernova in the LMC was obtained with the ESO 1m Schmidt telescope on February 26 at 01:25 UT. On this date, the supernova had reached visual magnitude 4.4. The photo should be compared with the ultraviolet photo showing the supernova progenitor which was taken with...
SN 1987A
Supernova 1987A and the Tarantula Nebula
Image obtained with the ESO Schmidt Telescope of the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Supernova 1987A is clearly visible as the very bright star in the middle right.
SN 1987A
The star that exploded on February 23 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
The star that exploded on February 23 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (the progenitor of supernova 1987A) has now been identified. It was catalogued in 1969 as an OB star of 12th magnitude and given the designation Sanduleak -69 202. Observations at the European Southern Observatory in the...
SN 1987A
Bright supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)
This colour photo of the bright supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) was obtained with a 6 x 6 camera mounted piggy-back on a large telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory, on February 25 at UT 01:00, two days after the supernova exploded. On this date, the supernova had reached...
NGC 1961
Snapshot of a peculiar spiral
A beautiful but skewed spiral galaxy dazzles in today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week. This galaxy, called Arp 184 or NGC 1961, sits about 190 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Camelopardalis (The Giraffe). The name Arp 184 comes from the Atlas of...
Gum 80
There is an impostor in this nebula
In space, not everything is what it seems. This Picture of the Week shows the nebula Sh2-46, also named Gum 80, situated roughly 6000 light-years away. The strong red hues of Sh2-46 might be beautiful, but they hide an impostor. The big blue-white star at the centre of the image is HD 165319,...
NGC 6786
NGC 6786
This Hubble image displays a beautiful pair of interacting spiral galaxies with swirling arms. The smaller of the two, dubbed LEDA 62867 and positioned to the left of the frame, seems to be safe for now, but will probably be swallowed by the larger spiral galaxy, NGC 6786 (to the right),...
Messier 65
Messier 65 through the years
The 1st of March 1780 was a particularly productive night for Charles Messier. Combing the constellation of Leo for additions to his grand astronomical catalogue, he struck on not one, but two, new objects. One of those objects is seen here: Messier 65. "Nebula discovered in Leo: It is very...
SNR 0454-67.2
Tangled — cosmic edition
This dark, tangled web is an object named SNR 0454-67.2. It formed in a very violent fashion — it is a supernova remnant, created after a massive star ended its life in a cataclysmic explosion and threw its constituent material out into surrounding space. This created the messy formation we see...
NGC 5714
The curious case of calcium-rich supernovae
This image, captured by the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows the spiral galaxy NGC 5714, about 130 million light-years away in the constellation of Boötes (the Herdsman). NGC 5714 is classified as a Sc spiral galaxy, but its spiral arms — the...
NGC 3021
A cosmological measuring tape
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 3021 which lies about 100 million light-years away in the constellation of Leo Minor (The Little Lion). Among many other types of stars, this galaxy contains Cepheid variable stars, which can be used work out the distance to...
NGC 2736
Supernova Shock Wave Paints Cosmic Portrait
Remnants from a star that exploded thousands of years ago created a celestial abstract portrait, as captured in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Pencil Nebula. Officially known as NGC 2736, the Pencil Nebula is part of the huge Vela supernova remnant, located in the southern...
NGC 3982
Galaxy NGC 3982
A team of European astronomers is using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to look back in time. They have imaged the spiral galaxy NGC 3982 and hundreds of other galaxies in the hope that one of the millions of stars in these images will some day explode as a supernova. They can then look...
Cassiopeia A
Fireworks in the Sky
Glowing gaseous streamers of red, white, and blue - as well as green and pink - illuminate the heavens like Fourth of July fireworks. The colorful streamers that float across the sky in this photo taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope were created by the universe's biggest firecracker,...
HUDF
HUDF detail without SN Primo
This image shows part of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field which, after this image was taken, became home to SN Primo, the most distant Type Ia supernova to be confirmed to date. The sighting of SN Primo is the first finding of an ambitious survey that will help astronomers place better constraints...
DEM L71
Stellar shrapnel
Several thousand years ago, a star some 160 000 light-years away from us exploded, scattering stellar shrapnel across the sky. The aftermath of this energetic detonation is shown here in this striking image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3. The exploding star was a...
NGC 3021
NGC 3021 NICMOS/ACS detail 3
This image is part of a montage of images of the spiral galaxy NGC 3021 taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble made precise measurements of Cepheid variable stars in the galaxy, highlighted in this image. These stars pulsate at a rate that is matched closely to their intrinsic...
Kepler's SN
NASA's Great Observatories Provide a Detailed View of Kepler's Supernova Remnant
NASA's three Great Observatories - the Hubble Space Telescope, the Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory - joined forces to probe the expanding remains of a supernova, called Kepler's supernova remnant, first seen 400 years ago by sky watchers, including famous astronomer...
Messier 81
The dynamic duo, Messier 81 and 82 (ground-based)
This wide-angle image taken by astrophotographer Robert Gendler shows the amazing duo of Messier 81 (right) and Messier 82 (left). These two mighty galaxies in the Plough (Ursa Major) belong to some of the most famous and beloved galaxies known to amateur astronomers. This may be one of the...
ESO 184- 82
First close look at gamma-ray burst host galaxy ESO 184-G82
The galaxy ESO 184-G82 was host to a combined gamma-ray burst and supernova explosion seen first time in 25 April 1998. The galaxy is a barred spiral of type SBbc which is a loosely wound spiral galaxy with a central bar. These galaxies are typically star-forming, and this galaxy is no...
IRAS 05240-6948
Oxygen-Rich Supernova
This is a Hubble Space Telescope image of the tattered debris of a star that exploded 3, 000 years ago as a supernova. This supernova remnant, called N132D, lies 169, 000 light-years away in the satellite galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Pistol Star
Uncovering the secrets of the Quintuplet Cluster
Although this cluster of stars gained its name due to its five brightest stars, it is home to hundreds more. The huge number of massive young stars in the cluster is clearly captured in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. The cluster is located close to the Arches Cluster and is just...
DEM L 243
Chandra 3-Color X-ray Image of N 63A
Chandra's image of N63A shows material heated to about ten million degrees Celsius by a shock wave generated by the supernova explosion. The fluffy crescent-shaped X-ray features that appear around the edge of the remnant are thought to be fragments of high-speed matter shot out from the star...
DEM L 243
N 63A: Chandra and Hubble
Chandra has imaged the glowing shell created by the destruction of a massive star. X-rays from Chandra (blue), combined with optical (green) and radio (red) data, reveal new details in the supernova remnant, LMC N 63A. The X-ray glow is from material heated to about ten million degrees Celsius...
