Browse All : Canes Venatici of Washington, D.C.

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First Peek at Spitzer's Lega …
Title First Peek at Spitzer's Legacy: Mysterious Whirlpool Galaxy
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of the "Whirlpool Galaxy," revealing strange structures bridging the gaps between the dust-rich spiral arms, and tracing the dust, gas and stellar populations in both the bright spiral galaxy and its companion. The Spitzer image is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The visible light image comes from the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1m telescope, and has the same orientation and size as the Spitzer infrared image, measuring 9.9 by 13.7 arcminutes (north up). Also a four-color composite, the visible light image shows emissions from 0.4 to 0.7 microns, including the H-alpha nebular feature (red in the image). The light seen in the images originates from very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (in the visible bands, and in the infrared from 3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. Particularly puzzling are the large number of thin filaments of red emission seen in the infrared data between the arms of the large spiral galaxy. In contrast to the beady nature of the dust emission seen in the arms themselves, these spoke-like features are thin and regular, and prevalent in the gaps all over the face of the galaxy. Also of interest is the contrast in the distributions of dust and stars between the spiral and its faint companion. While the spiral is rich in dust, bright in the longer infrared wavebands, and actively forming new stars, its blue companion shows little infrared emission and hosts an older stellar population. The spectacular whirlpool structure and star formation in M51 are thought to be triggered by an ongoing collision with its companion. Understanding the impact on star formation by the interaction of galaxies is one of the goals of these observations. The targeted galaxy is known by various names: M51 from its Messier catalog designation, and also as NGC 5194. M51 was one of the original discoveries of Charles Messier, found in October 1773 while he was observing a faint comet. The Messier catalogue of galaxies is named after him. Colloquially, M51 is also known as the "Whirlpool Galaxy", or "Rosse's Galaxy," after Lord Rosse, who first detected galaxy spiral structure in his observations of M51. The companion, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Mechain. The Whirlpool galaxy is a favorite target for amateur and professional, astronomers, alike, and was the first light target for the Infrared Space Observatory. Found in the constellation Canes Venatici, M51 is 37 million light-years away. The Spitzer observations of M51 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy. From these data, astronomers will probe the physical processes connecting star formation to the properties of galaxies. This information will provide a vital foundation of data, diagnostic tools, and astrophysical inputs for understanding the distant universe, ultraluminous galaxies, and the formation and evolution of galaxies.
First Peek at Spitzer's Lega …
Title First Peek at Spitzer's Legacy: Mysterious Whirlpool Galaxy
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of the "Whirlpool Galaxy," revealing strange structures bridging the gaps between the dust-rich spiral arms, and tracing the dust, gas and stellar populations in both the bright spiral galaxy and its companion. The Spitzer image is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The visible light image comes from the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1m telescope, and has the same orientation and size as the Spitzer infrared image, measuring 9.9 by 13.7 arcminutes (north up). Also a four-color composite, the visible light image shows emissions from 0.4 to 0.7 microns, including the H-alpha nebular feature (red in the image). The light seen in the images originates from very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (in the visible bands, and in the infrared from 3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. Particularly puzzling are the large number of thin filaments of red emission seen in the infrared data between the arms of the large spiral galaxy. In contrast to the beady nature of the dust emission seen in the arms themselves, these spoke-like features are thin and regular, and prevalent in the gaps all over the face of the galaxy. Also of interest is the contrast in the distributions of dust and stars between the spiral and its faint companion. While the spiral is rich in dust, bright in the longer infrared wavebands, and actively forming new stars, its blue companion shows little infrared emission and hosts an older stellar population. The spectacular whirlpool structure and star formation in M51 are thought to be triggered by an ongoing collision with its companion. Understanding the impact on star formation by the interaction of galaxies is one of the goals of these observations. The targeted galaxy is known by various names: M51 from its Messier catalog designation, and also as NGC 5194. M51 was one of the original discoveries of Charles Messier, found in October 1773 while he was observing a faint comet. The Messier catalogue of galaxies is named after him. Colloquially, M51 is also known as the "Whirlpool Galaxy", or "Rosse's Galaxy," after Lord Rosse, who first detected galaxy spiral structure in his observations of M51. The companion, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Mechain. The Whirlpool galaxy is a favorite target for amateur and professional, astronomers, alike, and was the first light target for the Infrared Space Observatory. Found in the constellation Canes Venatici, M51 is 37 million light-years away. The Spitzer observations of M51 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy. From these data, astronomers will probe the physical processes connecting star formation to the properties of galaxies. This information will provide a vital foundation of data, diagnostic tools, and astrophysical inputs for understanding the distant universe, ultraluminous galaxies, and the formation and evolution of galaxies.
First Peek at Spitzer's Lega …
Title First Peek at Spitzer's Legacy: Mysterious Whirlpool Galaxy
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of the "Whirlpool Galaxy," revealing strange structures bridging the gaps between the dust-rich spiral arms, and tracing the dust, gas and stellar populations in both the bright spiral galaxy and its companion. The Spitzer image is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The visible light image comes from the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1m telescope, and has the same orientation and size as the Spitzer infrared image, measuring 9.9 by 13.7 arcminutes (north up). Also a four-color composite, the visible light image shows emissions from 0.4 to 0.7 microns, including the H-alpha nebular feature (red in the image). The light seen in the images originates from very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (in the visible bands, and in the infrared from 3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. Particularly puzzling are the large number of thin filaments of red emission seen in the infrared data between the arms of the large spiral galaxy. In contrast to the beady nature of the dust emission seen in the arms themselves, these spoke-like features are thin and regular, and prevalent in the gaps all over the face of the galaxy. Also of interest is the contrast in the distributions of dust and stars between the spiral and its faint companion. While the spiral is rich in dust, bright in the longer infrared wavebands, and actively forming new stars, its blue companion shows little infrared emission and hosts an older stellar population. The spectacular whirlpool structure and star formation in M51 are thought to be triggered by an ongoing collision with its companion. Understanding the impact on star formation by the interaction of galaxies is one of the goals of these observations. The targeted galaxy is known by various names: M51 from its Messier catalog designation, and also as NGC 5194. M51 was one of the original discoveries of Charles Messier, found in October 1773 while he was observing a faint comet. The Messier catalogue of galaxies is named after him. Colloquially, M51 is also known as the "Whirlpool Galaxy", or "Rosse's Galaxy," after Lord Rosse, who first detected galaxy spiral structure in his observations of M51. The companion, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Mechain. The Whirlpool galaxy is a favorite target for amateur and professional, astronomers, alike, and was the first light target for the Infrared Space Observatory. Found in the constellation Canes Venatici, M51 is 37 million light-years away. The Spitzer observations of M51 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy. From these data, astronomers will probe the physical processes connecting star formation to the properties of galaxies. This information will provide a vital foundation of data, diagnostic tools, and astrophysical inputs for understanding the distant universe, ultraluminous galaxies, and the formation and evolution of galaxies.
Visible-Infrared Whirlpool
Title Visible-Infrared Whirlpool
Description This animation transitions from the more familiar visible light image of the "Whirlpool Galaxy" to the dramatic new view captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Revealed are strange structures bridging the gaps between the dust-rich spiral arms, and tracing the dust, gas and stellar populations in both the bright spiral galaxy and its companion. The visible light image comes from the Kitt Peak National Observatory 2.1m telescope, and is a four-color composite showing light from 0.4 to 0.7 microns, including the H-alpha nebular feature (red in the image). The Spitzer image is a four-color composite of invisible light of wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The light seen in the images originates from very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (in the visible bands, and in the infrared from 3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. In the transition from the visible to the infrared view, the dust lanes seen as dark streaks to the human eye become vivid filaments of red emission seen in the infrared data between the arms of the large spiral galaxy. In contrast to the beady nature of the dust emission seen in the arms themselves, these spoke-like features are thin and regular, and prevalent in the gaps all over the face of the galaxy. Also of interest is the contrast in the distributions of dust and stars between the spiral and its faint companion. While the spiral is rich in dust, bright in the longer infrared wavebands, and actively forming new stars, its blue companion shows little infrared emission and hosts an older stellar population. The spectacular whirlpool structure and star formation in M51 are thought to be triggered by an ongoing collision with its companion. Understanding the impact on star formation by the interaction of galaxies is one of the goals of these observations. The targeted galaxy is known by various names: M51 from its Messier catalog designation, and also as NGC 5194. M51 was one of the original discoveries of Charles Messier, found in October 1773 while he was observing a faint comet. The Messier catalogue of galaxies is named after him. Colloquially, M51 is also known as the "Whirlpool Galaxy", or "Rosse's Galaxy," after Lord Rosse, who first detected galaxy spiral structure in his observations of M51. The companion, NGC 5195, was discovered in 1781 by Pierre Mechain. The Whirlpool galaxy is a favorite target for amateur and professional astronomers, alike, and, was the first light target for the Infrared Space Observatory. Found in the constellation Canes Venatici, M51 is 37 million light-years away. The Spitzer observations of M51 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy. From these data, astronomers will probe the physical processes connecting star formation to the properties of galaxies. This information will provide a vital foundation of data, diagnostic tools, and astrophysical inputs for understanding the distant universe, ultraluminous galaxies, and the formation and evolution of galaxies.
Anomalous Arms
Title Anomalous Arms
Description In this composite image of spiral galaxy M106 (NGC 4258), optical data from the Digitized Sky Survey is shown as yellow, radio data from the Very Large Array appears as purple, X-ray data from Chandra is coded blue, and infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope appears red. Two anomalous arms, which aren't visible at optical wavelengths, appear as purple and blue emission.
NGC 4151: Chandra Observes C …
Name NGC 4151: Chandra Observes Cloud Powered by Black Hole in Distant Galaxy
Category Quasars & Active Galaxies
Release Date June 05, 2000
NGC 4631 Chandra Detects Hal …
Name NGC 4631 Chandra Detects Halo Of Hot Gas Around Milky Way-Like Galaxy
Category Normal Galaxies & Starburst Galaxies
Release Date July 19, 2001
NGC 4258 (M106): Mysterious …
Name NGC 4258 (M106): Mysterious Arms Revealed
Category Normal Galaxies & Starburst Galaxies, Quasars & Active Galaxies
Release Date April 10, 2007
Whirlpool Galaxy (M51): A Cl …
Name Whirlpool Galaxy (M51): A Classic Beauty
Category Normal Galaxies & Starburst Galaxies
Release Date December 10, 2007
Fireworks of Star Formation …
Title Fireworks of Star Formation Light up a Galaxy
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Reveals the Heart of …
Title Hubble Reveals the Heart of the Whirlpool Galaxy
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniv …
Title Hubble Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Spectacular New Images
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star …
Title Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star that Explodes as Supernova
Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star …
Title Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star that Explodes as Supernova
Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star …
Title Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star that Explodes as Supernova
Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star …
Title Hubble Pinpoints Doomed Star that Explodes as Supernova
Stellar Fireworks Are Ablaze …
Title Stellar Fireworks Are Ablaze in Galaxy NGC 4449
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. On July 4, fireworks blaze over the skies of American cities in the annual Independence Day celebrations. But nearly 12.5 million light-years away in the dwarf galaxy NGC 4449 stellar "fireworks" are going off all the time. The image was taken in November 2005 with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys.
M106: A Spiral Galaxy with a …
Title M106: A Spiral Galaxy with a Strange Core
Explanation What's happening at the center of spiral galaxy M106? A swirling disk of stars and gas, M106 [ http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m106.html ]'s appearance is dominated by two bright spiral arms and dark dust [ ftp://ftp.amara.com/papers/dustevolve.txt ] lanes near the nucleus. Bright newly formed stars near their outer tips distinguish the spiral arms in the above photograph [ http://www.noao.edu/outreach/aop/observers/robserver.html ]. The core of M106 glows brightly in radio waves [ http://imagers.gsfc.nasa.gov/ems/radio.html ] and X-rays [ http://www.optonline.com/comptons/ceo/05250_A.html ] where twin jets have been found [ http://adsbit.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-iarticle_query?1995ApJ...440..181C ] running the length of the galaxy. An unusual central glow makes M106 one of the closest examples of the Seyfert class of galaxies [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981023.html ], where vast amounts of glowing gas are thought to be falling into a central massive black hole [ http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/black_holes.html ]. M [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/messier.html ]106, also designated NGC [ http://www.aspsky.org/ngc/ngc.html ] 4258, is a relatively close 25 million light years away, spans 30 thousand light years [ http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/cosmic_distance.html ] across, and can be seen with a small telescope towards the constellation [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/constellations.html ] of Canes Venatici [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/constellations/Canes_Venatici.html ].
Starburst Galaxy M94
Title Starburst Galaxy M94
Explanation What could cause the center of M94 [ http://sirtf.caltech.edu/EPO/Messier/m94.html ] to be so bright? Spiral galaxy [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/spiral_galaxies.html ] M94 has a ring of newly formed stars surrounding its nucleus, giving it not only an unusual appearance but also a strong interior glow. A leading progenitor hypothesis [ http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2001AJ....121.1395W ] holds that an elongated knot [ http://www.cs.ubc.ca/nest/imager/contributions/scharein/KnotPlot.html ] of stars known as a bar [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001004.html ] rotates in M94 and has generated a burst of star formation in the form of an outward moving ring. M94 [ http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m094.html ], pictured above [ http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0779.html ] digitally sharpened, spans about 30,000 light years [ http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question19.html ], lies about 15 million light years away, and can be seen with a small telescope toward the constellation [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/constellations.html ] of Canes Venatici [ http://www.astronomical.org/constellations/cvn.html ].
A Nearby Supernova in M51
Title A Nearby Supernova in M51
Explanation One of the nearest supernovas of recent years was discovered late last month in the bright nearby galaxy M51 [ http://www.seds.org/messier/m/m051.html ]. It is visible on the right of the above before and after images [ http://www.cosmotography.com/images/small_compare_SN2005-m51.html ] of the picturesque spiral [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050428.html ]. Can you spot it? The supernova [ http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/snr.html ], discovered originally by Wolfgang Kloehr [ http://www.dsi-astronomie.de/Bericht_EN.htm ] and now dubbed 2005cs, is still near its maximum brightness and visible with a telescope toward the constellation [ http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/constellations.html ] of the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici [ http://www.astronomical.org/portal/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=13 ]). The supernova has been identified as a Type II [ http://stupendous.rit.edu/richmond/answers/sntypes.txt ] but has an unusual brightness history, creating speculation that is similar in nature to the brightest supernova of modern times: 1987A [ http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/guidry/violence/sn87a.html ]. The progenitor star has been identified [ http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1544_1.asp ] as a bright blue star. Although hundreds of supernovas [ http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/ps/lists/RecentSupernovae.html ] are discovered each year by automated searches, nearby supernova [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040907.html ] are rare and important because they frequently become bright enough to be studied by many telescopes and are near enough for their (former) host star and immediate surroundings to be spatially resolved. Supernova 2005cs [ http://www.rochesterastronomy.org/sn2005/sn2005cs.html ] may have left behind a core that has been compressed into a neutron star [ http://www.astro.umd.edu/~miller/nstar.html ] or black hole [ http://cosmology.berkeley.edu/Education/BHfaq.html ].
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