New images of dwarf planet Ceres, captured by NASA’s Dawn Spacecraft, reveal a shimmering mountain and other interesting geological features. Located in the southern hemisphere and measuring 4 miles tall, the mountain is cone shaped with no visible debris at the base. The cause of the shimmering on its edge […]
Learn
A Galactic Exclamation Mark
VV 340 represents a cosmic collision of immense proportions. The topmost galaxy, VV 340 North, and the front-facing galaxy, VV 340 South, are together known as the “Cosmic Explanation Point”. The title complements their destiny. In millions of years, the two spiral galaxies will collide and eventually merge into one […]
Back to School: An Astronomer’s Survival Guide to a Successful School Year
As the twilight of summer approaches, the shelves of office supply stores empty as families gather school gear, preseason begins for young athletes, and teachers prepare for their new students. For young astronomers, the prospect of school beginning not only shortens the habitual stargazing due to the constraint of a […]
A Beautiful Cosmic Couple
The Hubble Space Telescope captures a “cosmic couple” as a star named Hen 2-427 and the surrounding nebula M1-67 make for a marvelous photograph. The pair can be found in the constellation Sagittarius. A nebula acts as a nursery for star formation, composed of hot gases and dust. The ingredients […]