Astronomer Sources

www.lucidcafe.com/library/95aug/mitchell.html www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/mitchell.html
www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/mitc-mar.htm

NGC 4676: When Mice Collide 3.8

This week is a picture of two galaxies, known as "The Mice," which are colliding repeatedly until they coalesce into one galaxy. They are known as the mice because they both have long tails, which are formed as a result of the difference in the gravitational pulls on the different ends of the galaxies. The two galaxies lie within the constellation Coma Bernices.

Orion's Horsehead Nebula 3.7

For this week, I chose the picture of the horsehead nebula, in Orion. One of the most famous nebulae in the sky, it is only visible as a dark outline in front of the emission nebula in the center of the photograph. It is actually a dark dust cloud that has assumed a recognizable shape by mere chance. Also visible in the photograph are blue reflection nebulae.

Nebula Sites

http://filer.case.edu/sjr16/advanced/stars_nebulae.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/stars/nebulae.shtml
http://www.space.com/nebulas/
http://www.noao.edu/jacoby/pn_gallery.html
http://www.nasa.gov/worldbook/nebula_worldbook.htm
http://www.williams.edu/Astronomy/research/PN/nebulae/
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/news/archive/2007/02/photo-02.phpl

Observed Magnitudes of Stars

So, I've been sick for three days, in addition to the internet being down in my house because my dad's computer had to be fixed, and the whole network in my house runs through his computer first. Anyways...

Eta Aurigae: 3.3
Beta Eridani: 4.2
Gamma Orionis: 2.5
Beta Tauri: 3.2
Delta Orionis: 1.4
Zeta Orionis: 1.7
Mu Geminorum: 2.9
Xi Geminorum: 3.8
Sigma Canis Majorum: 4.9
Eta Canis Majorum: 2.7
Alpha Geminorum: 1.4

Elliptical Galaxy NGC 1132 3.6

For this week I choseto do the picture of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1132. It contains approximately a trillion stars, and is located toward the constellation Eridanus. This composite picture contains images in the visible and x-ray spectra, from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, as well as the Hubble Telescope. Traces of dark matter are also visible, and the galaxy is approximately 300 million light years away.

A Sunspot in the New Solar Cycle 3.5

This week I chose to do a close picture of sunspot 10982. The magnetic field of the sun as just reset itself, and a new 11 year period of activity has begun. There are also two dark lines visible in the picture, which are cool filaments that are held aloft by the sun's magnetic field. The next solar maximum is expected to occur in the year 2012.

Young Star Cluster Westerlund 2 3.4

This week I chose to do the picture of the young star cluster in RCW 49. The IR and X-ray composite images were taken in the constellation Centaurus, the image reveals objects and structures that are normally obscured by interfering dust. The star cluster itself is only 2 million years old, and it contains some of the most massive, luminous, and therefore short-lived stars in the galaxy. The zone also contains evidence of some proto-planetary discs nearby.