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Title: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:27:40 AM Astronomers Select Top Ten Most
Amazing Pictures Taken by Hubble Space Telescope in Last 16 Years "...they illustrate that our universe is not only deeply strange, but also almost impossibly beautiful." Michael Hanlon/AH (Nov 25th, 2006) After correcting an initial problem with the lens, when the Hubble Space Telescope was first launched in 1990, the floating astro-observatory began to relay back to Earth, incredible snapshots of the "final frontier" it was perusing. Recently, astronauts voted on the top photographs taken by Hubble, in its 16-year journey so far. Remarking in the article from the Daily Mail, reporter Michael Hanlon says the photos "illustrate that our universe is not only deeply strange, but also almost impossibly beautiful."[/b][/size] Hubble telescope's top ten greatest space photographs: Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:28:22 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_01.jpg)
The Sombrero Galaxy - 28 million light years from Earth - was voted best picture taken by the Hubble telescope. The dimensions of the galaxy, officially called M104, are as spectacular as its appearance. It has 800 billion suns and is 50,000 light years across. Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:29:11 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_02.jpg)
In third place is Nebula NGC 2392, called Eskimo because it looks like a face surrounded by a furry hood. The hood is, in fact, a ring of com et -shaped objects flying away from a dying star. Eskimo is 5,000 light years from Earth. Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:29:52 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_03.jpg)
At four is the Cat's Eye Nebula Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:30:50 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_04.jpg)
The Hourglass Nebula, 8,000 light years away, has a pinched-in-the-middle look because the winds that shape it are weaker at the centre. Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:31:41 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_05.jpg)
In sixth place is the Cone Nebula. The part pictured here is 2.5 light years in length (the equivalent of 23 million return trips to the Moon). Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:32:19 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_06.jpg)
The Perfect Storm, a small region in the Swan Nebula, 5,500 light years away, described as 'a bubbly ocean of hydrogen and small amounts of oxygen, sulphur and other elements'. Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:33:03 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_07.jpg)
Starry Night, so named because it reminded astronomers of the Van Gogh painting. It is a halo of light around a star in the Milky Way. Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:33:37 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_08.jpg)
The glowering eyes from 114 million light years away are the swirling cores of two merging galaxies called NGC 2207 and IC 2163 in the distant Canis Major constellation. Title: Re: Hubble Telescope's Top Ten Greatest Space Photographs Post by: Rhea Thomas on July 16, 2009, 03:34:12 AM (http://i328.photobucket.com/albums/l336/glamgalz/funfani/imgs/informative1/telcomes_09.jpg)
The Trifid Nebula. A 'stellar nursery', 9,000 light years from here, it is where new stars are being born. |