CYGNUS AND LYRA
Summer is coming! And with summer the summer the constellation of Cygnus the swan also known as the northern cross is becoming prominent on the sky embedded in the milky way our home galaxy. Cygnus was among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century … Continue readingCYGNUS AND LYRA
Western Veil & Pickering’s Triangle
The Veil Nebula is a cloud of heated and ionized gas and dust in the constellation Cygnus. It constitutes the visible portions of the Cygnus Loop, a supernova remnant, many portions of which have acquired their own individual names and catalogue identifiers. The source supernova … Continue readingWestern Veil & Pickering’s Triangle
MOON
The Moon is an astronomical body orbiting Earth as its only natural satellite. It is the fifth-largest satellite in the Solar System, and by far the largest among planetary satellites relative to the size of the planet that it orbits (its primary). The Moon is … Continue readingMOON
Comet C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS)
Der Komet mit der Bezeichnung Comet C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS) wurde am 2. Oktober 2017 mit dem Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System auf Haleakala, Hawaii, entdeckt und kommt ursprünglich aus der Oortschen Wolke. Am nächsten zur Erde war er letzte Weihnachten, momentan am Rand … Continue readingComet C/2017 T2 (PANSTARRS)
Sunflower Galaxy M63
The Sunflower Galaxy Messier 63 also known as NGC 5055 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Canes Venatici. M63 was first discovered by the French astronomer Pierre Méchain, then later verified by his colleague Charles Messier on June 14, 1779. The galaxy became listed as object 63 in the Messier Catalogue. In the … Continue readingSunflower Galaxy M63
Dumbbell Nebula M27
The Dumbbell Nebula (also known as Apple Core Nebula, Messier 27, M 27, or NGC 6853) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1227 light-years – the kinematic age of the nebula is some 9,800 years (this is the … Continue readingDumbbell Nebula M27
Messier 106
Messier 106 (also known as NGC 4258) is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1781. M106 is at a distance of about 22 to 25 million light-years away from Earth. M106 contains an active nucleus … Continue readingMessier 106
Whirlpool Galaxy M51
The Whirlpool Galaxy, also known as Messier 51 and NGC 5194, is an interacting grand-design spiral galaxy with an active galactic nucleus. It lies in the constellation Canes Venatici, and was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral galaxy. Its distance is estimated … Continue readingWhirlpool Galaxy M51
Bode’s Galaxy M81
Bode’s Galaxy (also known as NGC 3031 or Messier 81) is a grand design spiral galaxy about 12 million light-years away, with a diameter of 90,000 light years, about half the size of the Milky Way, in the constellation Ursa Major. Due to its proximity … Continue readingBode’s Galaxy M81