M51, The Whirlpool Galaxy [3450 X 3697]

Beware of the Big, Bad Wolf

Visible within the center of the Crescent nebula is what’s classified as a Wolf-Rayet star. This star is a staggering 250,000 times brighter than the Sun, 15 times more massive, and 3.3 times larger. Its surface temperature is nearly 70,000° C/ 125,000° F. At just 4.7 million years old, it is already toward the end of it’s life and is shedding its outer envelope, ejecting the equivalent of the Sun’s mass every 10,000 years. Within a few hundred thousand years, it is expected to explode as a supernova.   (Image Credit: Michael Miller, Jimmy Walker)

Cosmic Fireworks

Like an incredible celestial firework display, dust, ionized material and molecular gas from a dying star form the Helix Nebula. The star is evolving to become a white dwarf star and appears as the tiny blue dot seen at the center. This picture, taken in infrared light by the ESO’s VISTA telescope at the Paranal Observatory, reveals strands of cold nebular gas that is invisible in images taken in visible light. The main ring of the Helix is about two light-years across, roughly half the distance between the Sun and the nearest star. Material from the nebula spreads out from the star to at least four light-years. The Helix Nebula lies in the constellation of Aquarius about 700 light years from Earth. (Credit: ESO)

M94: Bursting With Stars

Located about 16 million light-years away, this new Hubble image shows the sparkling galaxy Messier 94. You’ll notice the bright ring (or starburst ring) around Messier 94 where new stars are forming at a high rate. The cause of this star-forming region is thought to be a pressure wave going outwards from the galactic center, compressing the gas and dust in the outer region. The compression of material means the gas starts to collapse into denser clouds. Inside these dense clouds, gravity pulls the gas and dust together until temperature and pressure are high enough for stars to be born. (Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble)

Saturn and its moons

Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The full rotation of the Moon as seen by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

Remains of supernova explosion Cassiopeia A most recent supernova in Milky Way

Located about 27 million light years away lies Messier 63, better known as the Sunflower Galaxy due to its glowing yellow center. For galaxies like Messier 63 the winding arms shine bright because of the presence of recently formed, blue–white giant stars, readily seen in this Hubble image. (Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA)

Close-up of M27, the Dumbbell Nebula

Credit: NASA/ESA, Hubble

Wide Field View of Great American Eclipse

Details of the Omega Nebula image credit: European Southern Observatory