Latest news with #CharlesMessier
USA Today
7 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
One of 'easiest-to-observe nebulas' will be visible in August: Where, how to see it
The "dumbbell nebula" should be visible throughout August and beyond high in the sky anywhere in the United States. Stargazers have plenty of reasons to look up throughout August – a month marked by meteor showers, planetary conjunctions and even a visible nebula. Yes, a formation known as the "dumbbell nebula" – nicknamed because it looks like, well, a dumbbell – should be easy to spot throughout the month, NASA said in an August skywatching guide. But unlike other cosmic phenomena that will appear in August, the "dumbbell nebula" unfortunately won't be visible to the naked eye. The good news? You still don't need any especially advanced equipment to see it. Here's what to know about the "dumbbell nebula" and how to see it in the August skies. What is a nebula? A nebula, such as the two that the Vera C. Rubin Observatory analyzed earlier in 2025, is a luminescent giant cloud of dust and gas in space. A nebula could be the result of an explosion of a dying star such as a supernova, which throws out gas and dust, according to NASA. Other nebulae are regions where new stars are beginning to form, such as the Cat's Paw nebula that the James Webb Space Telescope recently studied in unprecedented detail. What is the 'dumbbell nebula?' The "dumbbell nebula," also known as Messier 27, is what astronomers refer to as a planetary nebula due to its round, planet-like appearance when viewed through a telescope, according to NASA. Spotted in 1764 by French astronomer Charles Messier, the "dumbbell nebula" is the first planetary nebula ever discovered. It's located 1,200 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. The result of an aging star that shed its outer layers to create a colorful glow, the "dumbbell nebula" is composed of knots of gas and dust – some of which resemble fingers pointing at the central star. The formation is also enormous. Some of the isolated clouds of gas and dust are 10.5 billion to 34.7 billion miles wide – larger than the distance from the sun to Pluto. Each cloud contains as much mass as three Earths, according to NASA. When, where will 'dumbbell nebula' be visible in August? The "dumbbell nebula" should be visible throughout August and beyond high in the sky anywhere in the United States. The "dumbbell nebula" appears within a pattern of stars known as the Summer Triangle, which is in prime position in August for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. Fortunately for stargazers, the formation is considered to be "one of the easiest-to-observe nebulas in the sky," Chelsea Gohd of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a video with August skywatching tips. How to see 'dumbbell nebula' Stargazers will need binoculars or a small telescope to observe the "dumbbell nebula," which can be found high overhead in the first half of each night in the Summer Triangle. Observers will be able to spot it a third of the way between bright stars Altair and Deneb. The nebula will appear as a small, faint patch of light about a quarter of the width of a full moon.
The Hindu
26-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
The Hindu Daily Quiz - On Charles Messier objects
Daily Quiz | On Charles Messier's objects Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit YOUR SCORE 0 /5 RETAKE THE QUIZ 1 / 5 | How many objects are there in the Messier catalogue? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : 110 SHOW ANSWER 2 / 5 | Messier objects are classified as what? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : Deep-sky objects SHOW ANSWER 3 / 5 | M45 is an asterism seen in the constellation Taurus. What is its more common name? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : The Pleiades SHOW ANSWER 4 / 5 | Which constellation contains the most Messier objects? DID YOU KNOW THE ANSWER? YES NO Answer : Sagittarius SHOW ANSWER
India Today
01-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Hubble Telescope clicks a cosmic squid glittering in darkness
The Hubble Space Telescope, which recently completed 35 years in the vaccum of space, has sent a mesmerising new image of Messier 77, a spiral galaxy also known as the 'Squid Galaxy,' glittering against the darkness 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus, or 'The Whale'.The aquatic-themed portrait highlights the galaxy's swirling arms and bright core, which, thanks to Hubble's advanced imaging, now appear more intricate and vibrant than ever 77's story begins in 1780, when French astronomer Pierre Mechain first spotted the object and, alongside Charles Messier, catalogued it as a potential comet. Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy Messier 77, also known as the Squid Galaxy. (Photo: Hubble) Early astronomers, limited by the telescopes of their era, mistook the galaxy for a nebula or even a star cluster-a misconception that persisted for over a century until the true nature of spiral nebulae as distant galaxies was galaxy's recent nickname, the 'Squid Galaxy,' stems from its extended, filamentary structures that curl around its disk, resembling the tentacles of a squid. These tentacle-like features are actually spiral arms laced with dust lanes and star-forming regions, their pink and red hues glowing in Hubble's composite galaxy's intensely bright center, home to a supermassive black hole, further accentuates its aquatic latest image builds on Hubble's 2013 observations, incorporating new filters and updated processing techniques to reveal unprecedented details. It sits 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus (The Whale). (Photo: Nasa) Astronomers can now study the galaxy's dynamic core, energetic star nurseries, and the interplay between dust, gas, and gravity with greater 77's transformation from a misunderstood nebula to a cosmic icon shows how advances in technology continually reshape our understanding of the universe. With each new image, Hubble not only deepens scientific insight but also inspires awe, reminding us of the beauty and mystery that still glitters in the darkness.
Forbes
16-04-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Hubble Space Telescope Revisits ‘Fan-Favorite' Sombrero Galaxy
The observable universe contains at least 100 billion galaxies, according to NASA. Humans have given only a handful of these galaxies catchy nicknames. So tip your hat to the Sombrero Galaxy, the subject of a new Hubble Space Telescope image that shows off the galaxy's unusual structure. The European Space Agency described the Sombrero Galaxy as a 'fan favorite' in a statement on April 16. You need a telescope to see it, but it's a popular target for amateur astronomers and professionals alike. The Hubble image is a mosaic of several images captured by the telescope. The Sombrero, more officially known as Messier 104, is located about 30 million light-years from Earth in the Virgo constellation. The galaxy is part of a catalog of notable space objects originally compiled by French astronomer Charles Messier in the 1700s and early 1800s. We see the Sombrero Galaxy nearly edge-on. 'From this vantage point, intricate clumps and strands of dust stand out against the brilliant white galactic nucleus and bulge, creating an effect not unlike Saturn and its rings—but on an epic galactic scale,' ESA said. The galaxy resembles a gently glowing cosmic Frisbee. Its nickname is a nod to the wide-brimmed Mexican sun hat often associated with mariachi musicians. Hubble has peered at the Sombrero Galaxy before, but this image uses new processing techniques to reveal 'finer detail in the galaxy's disc, as well as more background stars and galaxies.' The Sombrero combines features found in spiral and elliptical galaxies. Our own Milky Way Galaxy has a spiral-arm structure. Elliptical galaxies are round or oval. 'Unlike spirals, elliptical galaxies usually contain little gas and dust and show very little organization or structure,' NASA noted in an explainer. The new Hubble image is part of the celebrations leading up to the space telescope's 35th anniversary. Hubble launched on April 24, 1990. It's elderly in space telescope terms, but keeps on kicking and delivering impactful science observations despite its age. Hubble is a joint project from NASA and ESA. Hubble has been through many triumphs, trials and tribulations over its decades of service. NASA sent five servicing missions to meet up with and fix the telescope in space during the space shuttle era. The last servicing mission took place in 2009. The space shuttle program ended in 2011. Since then, all Hubble fixes have been done remotely. NASA notably made a big change to the telescope's operations in 2024 to work around an ongoing glitch with the gyroscopes that help point the telescope in the right direction to do its science work. The Hubble team's many repairs, adjustments and workarounds have extended the life of the telescope. The telescope's designers planned to get at least 15 years of operation out of it. NASA now hopes Hubble will continue working into the 2030s. The new Sombrero Galaxy view is in good company with some of Hubble's all-time greats, like the iconic Pillars of Creation and the Hubble Deep Field. The galaxy is an enigma and a beauty. It's a fitting way to celebrate Hubble's longevity.
