The Horsehead Nebula (wide view) | Rancho Del Sol Observatory

The Horsehead Nebula (wide view) | Rancho Del Sol Observatory

The Horsehead Nebula and NGC 2023 in Orion (B33). B33-1 is the little yellow patch on the brow on the "head" area. The red knots below the neck area are known as Herbig-Haro objects and are believed to be stars in the early stages of formation.

NGC 2023 is an emission and reflection nebula in the equatorial constellation of Orion. It was discovered by the German-born astronomer William Herschel on January 6, 1785. This reflection nebula is one of the largest in the Earth's night sky.

Credit & Copyright: Ken Crawford 

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Nebula #HorseheadNebula #Barnard33 #NGC2023 #HerbigHaroObjects #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #RanchoDelSolObservatory #Telescope #Astrophotographer #Astronomer #KenCrawford #CitizenScience #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Horsehead Nebula | European Southern Observatory

The Horsehead Nebula | European Southern Observatory

A reproduction of a composite color image of the Horsehead Nebula and its immediate surroundings. It is based on three exposures in the visual part of the spectrum with the FORS2 multi-mode instrument at the 8.2-m KUEYEN telescope, part of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT), at Paranal. It was produced from three images, obtained on February 1, 2000, with the FORS2 multi-mode instrument at the 8.2-m KUEYEN Unit Telescope and extracted from the VLT Science Archive Facility. 

The frames were obtained in the B-band (600 sec exposure; wavelength 429 nm; FWHM 88 nm; here rendered as blue), V-band (300 sec; 554 nm; 112 nm; green) and R-band (120 sec; 655 nm; 165 nm; red). The original pixel size is 0.2 arcsec. The photo shows the full field recorded in all three colors, approximately 6.5 x 6.7 arcmin 2 . The seeing was about 0.75 arcsec.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: January 25, 2002

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Nebula #HorseheadNebula #Barnard33 #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #Telescope #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

The Horshead Nebula | SSO Callisto Telescope

The Horshead Nebula | SSO Callisto Telescope

This first light image from the Callisto Telescope at the SPECULOOS Southern Observatory (SSO) shows the famous Horsehead Nebula. First light for a newly commissioned telescope is a tremendously exciting time, and usually well-known astronomical objects such as this are captured to celebrate a new telescope's commencing operations.

The Horsehead Nebula is approximately 422 parsecs or 1,375 light-years from Earth.

The SSO is installed at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in the vast Atacama Desert, Chile, and consists of four 1-meter planet-hunting telescopes. The project’s telescopes are named after Jupiter’s Galilean moons, and are neighbors of the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and VISTA. 

SPECULOOS will focus on detecting Earth-sized planets orbiting nearby ultra-cool stars and brown dwarfs.

Search for habitable Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars (SPECULOOS)

Credit: SPECULOOS Team/E. Jehin/European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: December 5, 2018

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #SPECULOOS #Nebula #HorseheadNebula #Barnard33 #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #CallistoTelescope #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

The Horsehead Nebula: Hubble's Universe Unfiltered

The Horsehead Nebula: Hubble's Universe Unfiltered

The Horsehead Nebula is a striking, dark gas cloud just below Orion's belt. It is a favorite of both professional and amateur astronomers. However, as a dark nebula, most of its true structure is hidden from visible light observations. To celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope, we revealed the considerable detail of that unseen nebular structure via an infrared portrait. The result is even more striking, and something one does not see very often—a veritable astronomical horse of a different color.

"Hubble's Universe" is a recurring broadcast from HubbleSite, online home of the Hubble Space Telescope. Astrophysicist Frank Summers takes viewers on an in-depth tour of the latest Hubble discoveries.

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Duration: 12 minutes, 47 seconds

Release Date: September 5, 2013

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #Nebula #HorseHeadNebula #Barnard33 #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Horsehead Nebula: Celebrating Hubble's Infrared View

The Horsehead Nebula: Celebrating Hubble's Infrared View

Hubblecast 65: This episode of the Hubblecast celebrates 23 years of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, by unveiling a beautiful and striking image of the Horsehead nebula. 

Our host Dr Joe Liske (aka Dr J) explains the secrets of nebulae, cosmic clouds of gas and dust that have been the subjects of some of Hubble's most striking astronomical images. The Horsehead nebula is one of the most distinctive, and is now shown in a whole new light thanks to a stunning new infrared image—revealing the delicate wisps of gas that are normally hidden by the thick dust that makes up the Horsehead's famous and familiar shape.

Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble

Visual design and editing: Martin Kornmesser

Web and technical support: Mathias Andre and Raquel Yumi Shida

Written by: Nicola Guttridge

Presented by: Joe Liske (Dr J)

Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa

Images: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI); ESO

Animations: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI); F. Summers, L. Frattare, T. Davis, Z. Levay, T. Borders, and G. Bacon (Viz 3D team, STScI)

Music: Steve Buick

Directed by: Nicola Guttridge

Cinematography: Peter Rixner (www.perix.de)

Executive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen

Duration: 6 minutes

Release Date: April 19, 2013

#NASA #ESA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #Nebula #HorseHeadNebula #Barnard33 #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #Visualization #3D #HD #Video

The Gaseous Landscape of The Horsehead Nebula (infrared) | Hubble

The Gaseous Landscape of The Horsehead Nebula (infrared) | Hubble

The Horsehead Nebula is a dark cloud of dense gas and dust located just below the belt of Orion on the sky. A visible light view shows a strong silhouette resembling the horse's head used for a knight in chess. Infrared light, however, reveals a more complex scene, as shown in this Hubble image. The warm parts of the clouds glow in infrared light, plus longer infrared wavelengths can penetrate deeper into the clouds. A dark and relatively featureless scene is revealed as a glowing gaseous landscape.

This video presents a scientific visualization of the Horsehead Nebula as seen in infrared light. To fill out the widescreen frame, the central Hubble image has been augmented by ground-based observations from the European Southern Observatory's Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA). The three-dimensional interpretation has been sculpted to create a wispy and mountainous environment, with stars distributed in an approximate and statistical manner. The computer graphics model is intended to be scientifically reasonable, but not fully accurate. This imaginative traverse provides an inspiring spaceflight experience that brings the celestial scene to life.

Credit: Hubble Space Telescope/NASA/European Space Agency (ESA)/Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)    

Duration: 48 seconds

Release Date: March 26, 2014

#NASA #ESA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #Nebula #HorseHeadNebula #Barnard33 #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #Visualization #3D #HD #Video

Zooming in on The Horsehead Nebula (3D) | Hubble

Zooming in on The Horsehead Nebula (3D) | Hubble

This video zooms into part of the sky in the constellation of Orion (The Hunter), showing infrared Hubble observations of the Horsehead Nebula (otherwise known as Barnard 33). The video ends on a 3D fly-through of the nebula.

The video continues with a scientific visualization of a flight into the infrared Horsehead. The computer graphics model is intended to be scientifically reasonable, but not fully accurate. 

This infrared image was released to celebrate 23 years of the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope. The data in this video come from Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, supplemented by ground-based observations from the European Southern Observatory's Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA).

Credit: NASA, European Space Agency, the Hubble Heritage Team: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA); G. Bacon, T. Borders, L. Frattare, Z. Levay, and F. Summers (Viz 3D team, STScI); European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: April 19, 2013

#NASA #ESA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #Nebula #HorseHeadNebula #Barnard33 #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #Visualization #3D #HD #Video

The Horsehead Nebula (infrared) | Hubble

The Horsehead Nebula (infrared) | Hubble

This Hubble image, shows part of the sky in the constellation of Orion (The Hunter). Rising like a giant seahorse from turbulent waves of dust and gas is the Horsehead Nebula, otherwise known as Barnard 33.

This image shows the region in infrared light, which has longer wavelengths than visible light and can pierce through the dusty material that usually obscures the nebula’s inner regions. The result is a rather ethereal and fragile-looking structure, made of delicate folds of gas—very different to the nebula’s appearance in visible light.

This image was captured and released to celebrate the Hubble Space Telescope’s 23rd year in orbit in 2013.

Credit: NASA, European Space Agency, and the Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI)

Release Date: April 19, 2013

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #Nebula #HorseHeadNebula #Barnard33 #Infrared #Orion #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #AURA #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

NASA's Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers: New July 2022 Images | JPL

NASA's Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers: New July 2022 Images | JPL

MSL - sol 3545 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - sol 3544 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - sol 3544 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - sol 3544 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - sol 3544 - MAHLI

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

Mars2020 - sol 507 - Mastcam-Z

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Kevin M. Gill

Mars2020 - sol 507 - Mastcam-Z

NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/Kevin M. Gill

MSL - sol 3545 - Mastcam

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

Curiosity Rover Update for July 28, 2022

Sols 3546-3547: Staring at the Ground (excerpt)

Written by Keri Bean and Kristin Bennett

Today’s plan is chock full of goodies! We start out sol 3546 with a ChemCam observation of a sand ripple “Deposito” and an RMI observation of the Bolivar outcrop in the distance. Then we’ll do some Mastcam observations of Deposito, “Lilas” which is one of our robotic arm targets later in the sol, Bolivar, and “Deepdale.” Once all that wraps up, we’ll get into our robotic arm activities for the sol!

Today I (Keri) was the Arm Rover Planner, which means I was responsible for writing up the commands for the robotic arm activities in this plan. I noticed this lovely rock in our workspace. The top of it looked like a nice large flat spot where we could use our DRT to brush off some dust! The scientists also were thinking the same thing and agreed, so we added it to the plan. The scientists are also interested in the rough face pointing at the rover, so we are also taking some MAHLI images of that rough face “Simoni” followed by brushing away the surface dust on the top of the rock with DRT and taking some MAHLI and Mastcam images of Lilas.

Once the arm activities wrap up, we’ll begin driving! 

During the drive, the science team decided to add in an observation that we don’t often use: a MARDI sidewalk observation. MARDI is a camera that is pointing down at the ground. 

After all that completes, we will take some post-drive imaging with Hazcams, Navcams, and Mastcams which will help the next planning team determine their activities...

Full article: https://mars.nasa.gov/msl/mission-updates/9235/sols-3546-3547-staring-at-the-ground/

Perseverance Rover Update for July 21, 2022

Laser Marking on Mars

Written by Roger Wiens, Principal Investigator, SuperCam/Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument at Purdue University

https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/status/393/laser-marking-on-mars/

Mission Name: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)

Rover Name: Curiosity

Main Job: To determine if Mars was ever habitable to microbial life. 

Launch: Nov. 6, 2011

Landing Date: Aug. 5, 2012, Gale Crater, Mars

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.

Launch: July 30, 2020

Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit: mars.nasa.gov

Image Release Dates: July 24-29, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #Boulders #MountSharp #GaleCrater #Curiosity #Rover #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #Pasadena #California #UnitedStates #JourneyToMars #CitizenScience #STEM #Education

Benefits of International Space Station Research & Development | This Week@NASA

Benefits of International Space Station Research & Development | This Week@NASA

Week of July 29, 2022: The benefits of International Space Station research and development, refining the architecture for the Mars Sample Return mission, and test firing a solid-rocket booster for our mega Moon rocket . . . a few of the stories to tell you about–This Week at NASA!

Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Producer: Andre Valentine

Editor: Lacey Young

Music: Universal Production Music

Duration: 4 minutes, 8 seconds

Release Date: July 29, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #Mars #MSR #Artemis #Astronauts #FlightEngineers #Science #Technology #Research #Laboratory #Experiments #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition67 #Europe #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Canada #Japan #日本 #International #STEM #Education #HD #Video

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on Spacewalk | International Space Station

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti on Spacewalk | International Space Station

On July 21, 2022, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy completed her first ever spacewalk alongside cosmonaut and Expedition 67 Commander Oleg Artemyev of Russia. Not only that, but this spacewalk was also the first conducted by a European woman, and the first conducted by a European in a Russian Orlan spacesuit from the International Space Station.

Expedition 67 Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) concluded their spacewalk at 5:55 p.m. EDT on July 21, 2022, after 7 hours and 5 minutes. Artemyev and Cristoforetti completed all but one of their major objectives, which included the deployment of 10 nanosatellites designed to collect radio electronics data during the spacewalk and installing platforms and workstation adapter hardware near the 37-foot-long manipulator system mounted to Nauka. The spacewalkers also relocated the arm’s external control panel and replaced a protective window on the arm’s camera unit. The last planned activity, to extend a Strela telescoping boom from Zarya to Poisk, will be completed on a future spacewalk.

Additional spacewalks are planned to continue outfitting the European robotic arm and to activate Nauka’s airlock for future spacewalks.

The work on the European robotic arm will be used to move spacewalkers and payloads around the Russian segment of the station.

This was the sixth spacewalk in Artemyev’s career, and the first for Cristoforetti. It was the sixth spacewalk at the station in 2022 and the 251st spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Expedition 67 Crew

Commander Oleg Artemyev (Russia)

Roscosmos Flight Engineers: Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov (Russia)

NASA Flight Engineers: Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins (USA)

European Space Agency (ESA) Flight Engineer: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy)

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the  International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Learn more about the important research being operated on ISS: https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/European Space Agency (ESA)/Roscosmos

Capture Date: July 21, 2022

Release Date: July 28, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #ESA #Spacewalk #EVA #Cosmonaut #OlegArtemyev #Astronaut #FlightEngineer #SamanthaCristoforetti #Minerva #MissionMinerva #Italy #Italia #ASI #Science #Technology #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition67 #Europe #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #International #STEM #Education

Growing the Low-Earth Orbit Economy: International Space Station Benefits

Growing the Low-Earth Orbit Economy: International Space Station Benefits

As a platform used by small businesses, entrepreneurs, and researchers to test their science and technology in space, the International Space Station has supported development of new and improved products, spawned new commercial ventures, and provided growth for existing ones. It has expanded the overall space industry, especially in the fields of robotics, small satellites, and in-space manufacturing. Much of this equipment and technology benefits life on Earth as well as the space economy.

 Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/3ATR9Jo

Explore other station benefits: https://www.nasa.gov/stationbenefits

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/Science@NASA

Duration: 1 minute, 14 seconds

Release Date: July 29, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #Astronauts #FlightEngineers #Science #Technology #Research #Laboratory #Experiments #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition67 #Europe #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Canada #Japan #日本 #International #STEM #Education #HD #Video

What's Up for August 2022 | Skywatching Tips from NASA

What's Up for August 2022 | Skywatching Tips from NASA

What are some skywatching highlights in August 2022? 

The daily parade of four naked-eye planets in the mornings comes to an end this month. However, there are still lots of great highlights, especially if you have access to binoculars. Plus, Saturn and Jupiter are returning to nighttime skies! The outlook for Perseid meteors is not great due to a full moon on the peak night of August 12, but it is still worth keeping an eye out for early Perseids after midnight the week before. August is also a great month to learn an easy-to-spot constellation—Cygnus the swan.

Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

Duration: 4 minutes, 9 seconds

Release Date: July 29, 2022

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Skywatching #Earth #Moon #Planets #Mars #Jupiter #Saturn #Uranus #SolarSystem #Stars #Nebulas #Constellations #MilkyWay #Galaxy #JPL #Pasadena #California #Skywatching #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Tonight's Sky: August 2022

Tonight's Sky: August 2022

In August 2022, a flock of star-studded figures soars overhead. Look for the Vega and Lyra constellations, which point to Epsilon Lyrae and the Ring Nebula. You can also spot three bright summer stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair, which form the Summer Triangle. Keep watching for space-based views of these and other stars and nebulas.

“Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky. The series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning.

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Duration: 4 minutes, 48 seconds

Release Date: July 25, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Hubble #Science #Earth #Stars #RingNebula #Messier57  #DumbellNebula #Messier27 #PlanetaryNebulas #Lyra #Constellations #Galaxy #MilkyWay #Planets #SolarSystem #Skywatching #STScI #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Pillars of Creation (infrared close-up view) | ESO

The Pillars of Creation (infrared close-up view) | ESO

This shows a zoom into the center of an infrared view of the Pillar of Creation's columns and their immediate surroundings in more detail. The pillars themselves are less prominent than on the Hubble visible-light image of this region. This is because near-infrared light penetrates the thinner parts of the gas and dust clouds and only the heads remain opaque. A number of red objects can be seen associated with the pillars. Some of these are just background sources seen through the dust, but some are probably young stars embedded in the pillars. The purple arc near the bottom of the picture is Herbig-Haro object 216, a fast-moving clump of heated gas emanating from a young star.

Technical information: This image shows an enlarged section of the full mosaic covering 6.2 x 7.5 light-years (1.9 x 2.3 pc) centered on the pillars. North is up and East left.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/M.McCaughrean & M.Andersen (AIP)

Release Date: December 20, 2001

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Nebula #EagleNebula #PillarsOfCreation #Stars #Infrared #Messier16 #NGC6611 #HerbigHaroObject216 #SerpensCauda #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

The Eagle Nebula | European Southern Observatory

The Eagle Nebula | European Southern Observatory

Three-color composite mosaic image of the Eagle Nebula (Messier 16, or NGC 6611), based on images obtained with the Wide-Field Imager camera on the MPG/European Southern Observatory (ESO) 2.2-meter telescope at the La Silla Observatory. At the center, the so-called “Pillars of Creation” can be seen. This wide-field image shows not only the central pillars, but also several others in the same star-forming region, as well as a huge number of stars in front of, in, or behind the Eagle Nebula. The cluster of bright stars to the upper right is NGC 6611, home to the massive and hot stars that illuminate the pillars. The “Spire”—another large pillar—is in the middle left of the image.

This image is a composite of 3 filters in the visible range: B (blue), V (green) and R (red).

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: July 16, 2009

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Nebula #EagleNebula #PillarsOfCreation #Spire #Stars #Messier16 #NGC6611 #SerpensCauda #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #LaSillaObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education