Looking At the Real "Big Picture"

   Ever since the Hubble Space Telescope went operational in 1990, we have been receiving some of the clearest images yet of the universe outside our own solar system. Since the telescope is in orbit and outside of the light contamination that obscures earth-bound observatories, Hubble allows us to look at galaxies, nebulae, and other astronomical phenonema at the far reaches of space. On this 20th anniversary of Hubble, let's take a look at some of the incredible images we have received since its launch.

Looking at pictures of other galaxies is pretty humbling. Our own solar system is located far out on the edges of our own galaxy. What we call the Milky Way is our view towards the center of our spiral galaxy.

One of the most widely published Hubble images is this shot of the Eagle Nebula (catalogued as Messier 16 or M16, and as NGC 6611)which is a young open cluster of stars in the constellation Serpens. This formation has come to be known as the "Pillars of Creation."

The formation labelled Mz 3 (Menzel 3) has two hourglass-shaped clouds and radiating streams of gas. Because of its shape, the formation is known as the "Ant Nebula".

The Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant and pulsar wind nebula in the constellation of Taurus.

A wider view of the Eagle Nebula shown above.

The Eskimo Nebula (NGC 2392), also known as the Clownface Nebula, is a bipolar double-shell planetary nebula.

The Horsehead Nebula is a dark nebula in the constellation Orion It is one of the most identifiable nebulae because of the shape of its swirling cloud of dark dust and gases, which is similar to that of a horse's head.

NGC 602 is a young, bright open cluster of stars located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way.

The Black Eye Galaxy (also called Sleeping Beauty Galaxy) was discovered by Edward Pigott in March 1779.

NGC 1232 is an intermediate spiral galaxy about 70 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus.

NGC 3982 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located about 68 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major (The Big Dipper).

The Trifid Nebula is located in Sagittarius. Its name means 'divided into three lobes'.

The Elephant's Trunk nebula is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust in the star cluster IC 1396.

Unusual Spiral Galaxy M66

The Sombrero Galaxy is a spiral galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It has a bright nucleus, an unusually large central bulge, and a prominent dust lane in its inclined disk. The dark dust lane and the bulge give this galaxy the appearance of a sombrero.

Big Dipper or Big Bear: You Decide

   As a Boy Scout, I had a very cool set of glow-in-the-dark star cards with all of the constellations in phosphorescent green. At night, you could charge up the card with a flashlight, then go out onto a field and have a visible map of the constellations in your hand.  
   I'll admit, I had a hard time seeing all those animals, people and creatures up there among the stars at night but I tried to apply my imagination into seeing the patterns in the night sky. I especially like illustrations which tried to visualize the various groupings. Here is a fine set of such images.

Ursa Major, the Big Bear, or what we know as the Big Dipper

Aquarius, the Water Bearer

Bootes, the Herdsman

Cancer, the Crab

Big Dog and Rabbit

Equus, the Horse

Gemini, the Twins

Hydra and Various Items

Orion, the Hunter

Pisces, the Fish

Sagittarius, the Archer

The Scorpion

Taurus, the Bull

The Virgin