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The Infrared Universe - NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope celebrated its 12th anniversary with the release of a new digital calendar showcasing some of the best pictures taken by the telescope. The images above demonstrate the Spitzer space telescope’s amazing infrared imaging abilities. These images include Nebulae, Galaxies, Super Nova, and much more. Though the calendar is now outdated, it still has a lot of great science information (and cool images). Check the credit for links!

Credit: NASA/JPL

NGC 2736

NGC 2736 (also known as the Pencil Nebula) is a small part of the Vela Supernova Remnant, located near the Vela Pulsar in the constellation Vela.

This nebula is a small part of a huge remnant left over after a supernova explosion that took place about 11 000 years ago.

Image credits:
Top: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Bottom: ESO / La Silla Observatory

A Beautiful Instance of Stellar Ornamentation

In this image from ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), light from blazing blue stars energises the gas left over from the stars’ recent formation. The result is a strikingly colourful emission nebula, called LHA 120-N55, in which the stars are adorned with a mantle of glowing gas. Astronomers study these beautiful displays to learn about the conditions in places where new stars develop.

Image credit: ESO

brightestofcentaurus

ESO 381-12

ESO 381-12, also called PGC 42871, is a lenticular galaxy located about 270 million light years away towards the constellation Centaurus, the Centaur. Lenticular galaxies are odd in that they share characteristics of both spiral and elliptical galaxies.

ESO 381-12 is even more of an oddball, surrounded by unusual shells of material not often found around this type of galaxy. Its uncertain what causes these shells, but one theory is that the galaxy interacted with another recently. The close interaction would send shock waves through ESO 381-12, which could completely change the appearance of the galaxy, as well as causing a wave of star formation.

Image and information from ESA.

Molecular Cloud Barnard 68

Barnard 68 is a large, dense molecular cloud of cold gas and dust located within our Milky Way galaxy, in the constellation Ophiuchus. It appears as a void against the rich, background star field because dust grains in the cloud absorb (block) the visible light from background stars, however, it is possible to look right through the cloud in infrared light.

Classified as a Bok globule, this dark absorption nebula is as cold as it is dark. Dark clouds are the coldest objects in the known Universe and they are also the nurseries of stars and planets. Barnard 68’s future is still unclear, but it may someday collapse and form new low-mass stars.

Credit: ESO

cool-critters

Ground pangolin (Manis temminckii)

The ground pangolin is one of four species of pangolins which can be found in Africa, and the only one in southern and eastern Africa. With the exception of the underside, it is covered in extremely hard scales composed of keratin, the same material that forms human hair and fingernails. When threatened, it usually will roll up into a ball thus protecting its vulnerable belly. The scales on the tail can also be used as blades to slash at attackers. The ground pangolin can grow to a length of about 1 m, with the tail typically between 30 and 50 cm. Capable of walking on two legs, the ground pangolin walks on its hindlegs when searching for food while using its forelegs and tail for balance. Like other pangolin species it is largely nocturnal, although it is also entirely terrestrial, and usually found in savanna or open woodland. It is well adapted to a diet of ants and termites, possessing a keen sense of smell and a very long (up to 50 cm) sticky tongue that extends deep into its abdominal cavity. Although it is capable of digging its own burrow, the ground pangolin prefers to occupy those abandoned by warthogs or aardvarks or to lie in dense vegetation, making it even more difficult to observe. The ground pangolin is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List.

photo credits: wiki, wiki, Callie de Wet, Neil Gray, bioweb

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The Infrared Universe - NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope

NGC 2736

A Beautiful Instance of Stellar Ornamentation

Molecular Cloud Barnard 68