NASA ASTRONOMY

PHOTOS

By Daniel García Guirao 1ºB

Index

Comet ISON

An ancient stream bank in Mars

The Goat Aurora

The Helix Nebula

Comet ISON

Introducing Comet ISONImage Credit & Copyright: Ligustri Rolando

Could this spot become one of the brightest comets ever? It's possible. It could be destroyed when it gets coloser to the sun, or just brithten weaker. This is called C/2012 S1 (ISON) and it could develop a spectacular tail or approach the brightness of the full Moon toward the end of 2013.

The comet, discovered just over a week ago from Russia by Vitali Nevski (Belarus) and Artyom Novichonok (Russia), is currently falling toward the Sun from between the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn.

If the comet survives it will pass nearest the Earth in late 2013 December.

Personal opinion 1

The fact that this comet is approaching our planet is really powerful, and I'd wish to see it when it passes near to us on 2013 December. If the comet will be close to the brightness of the full Moon, it'll be an awesome spectacle.

An ancient stream bank

An Ancient Stream Bank on Mars Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS

Fresh evidence of an ancient stream has been found on Mars. The robotic rover Curiosity has run across unusual surface features that carry a strong resemblance to stream banks on Earth.

Visible in the above image, for example, is a small overhanging rock ledge that was probably created by water erosion.

Personal opinion 2

There is a stream bank and erosioned rocks in Mars, so water must have existed there. This photo that Curiosity rover has taken is very useful for us, because we can use the information gathered in Mars to try to have an idea of what we're surrounded of.

A Goat Aurora

Goat Aurora Over GreenlandImage Credit & Copyright: Juan Carlos Casado (TWAN)

Sometimes it's hard to believe what you see in the sky. During the Shelios Expedition to Greenland in late August, even veteran sky enthusiasts saw auroras so colorful, so fast changing, and so unusual in form that they could remember nothing like it.

Some auroras evolve to seem what looks to be the head of a goat (shown above). Even without the aurora, the sky would be notable for the arching band of our Milky Way Galaxy and the interesting field of stars, nebulas, and galaxies.

Personal opinion 3

An aurora with the form of a goat's head. It's true that veterans and novices are both impressed with images like this. Auroras are the most beautiful spectacle in the sky, and you can also see in the photo the Andromeda galaxy and some constellations of the Milky Way.

THE HELIX NEBULA

NGC 7293: The Helix Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh

A mere seven hundred light years from Earth, in the constellation Aquarius, a star like the Sun is dying. Its last few thousand years have produced the Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), a well studied and nearby example of a Planetary Nebula, typical of this final phase of stellar evolution. A total of 58 hours of exposure time have gone in to creating this deep view of the nebula.

The white dot at the Helix's center is this Planetary Nebula's hot, central star.

Personal opinion 4

Now that I've learnt about nebulas and stars' life I can get and idea of why a star like the Sun has made this amazing effect on the vacuum.

It's hard to believe that currently this star is throwing hot gas and dust to space.

Someday this elements will be part of planets, dwarf planets, satellites, comets or just simple asteroids.

Bibliography

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html