PC Pals Forum

General Discussion => Science & Nature => Topic started by: sam on November 10, 2009, 21:51

Title: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: sam on November 10, 2009, 21:51

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/28/

Quote

A never-before-seen view of the turbulent heart of our Milky Way galaxy is being unveiled by NASA on Nov. 10. This event will commemorate the 400 years since Galileo first turned his telescope to the heavens in 1609. In celebration of this International Year of Astronomy, NASA is releasing images of the galactic center region as seen by its Great Observatories to more than 150 planetariums, museums, nature centers, libraries, and schools across the country

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: Simon on November 10, 2009, 22:02

Great pic - will look nice on my laptop.  ;)

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: sam on November 10, 2009, 22:06

I've got another one to consider too.. (made by colleagues of mine, well my new supervisor): A Majestic Gas Shell Revealed by the VLA.

http://images.nrao.edu/566

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: Simon on November 10, 2009, 22:17

Yeah, that one's nice too, but I prefer the first one.  :)

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: sam on November 10, 2009, 22:26

so do I but you didn't hear me say that.

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: Simon on November 10, 2009, 22:47

Pardon?   ;)

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: Clive on November 10, 2009, 23:09

Stunning pictures Sam!  What a turbulent galaxy we live in!  It would be nice if they had identified some of the objects in the first picture.  Particuarly the bright star-like object to the left.  Is it an overexposed star, a globular or a satellite galaxy?  Is that the central black hole in the vortex left of centre?  Why didn't they do an overlay so we can tell what we are looking at?   :dunno: 

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: sam on November 10, 2009, 23:13

Quote from: Clive on November 10, 2009, 23:09

Stunning pictures Sam!  What a turbulent galaxy we live in!  It would be nice if they had identified some of the objects in the first picture.  Particuarly the bright star-like object to the left.  Is it an overexposed star, a globular or a satellite galaxy?  Is that the central black hole in the vortex left of centre?  Why didn't they do an overlay so we can tell what we are looking at?   :dunno: 

Oh but they did: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/28/image/g/format/web_print/

- you should see some of the images we have in the radio - really shows how turbulent it is (I don't think they've been published yet though)

Title: Re: NASA's Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
Post by: Clive on November 10, 2009, 23:26

Incredible!  Thanks for that Sam.  It's a shame the black hole isn't below the Arches Cluster though because that would have looked sensational.  I can see now that the bright white-coloured objects are x-ray objects and that the central black hole is at Sagittarius A.  Makes sense now!   8-)