Tag: Hubble
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Giant Cosmic Sandwich: The Largest Protoplanetary Disk Unveiled
Introduction: A cosmic oddity revealed The Hubble Space Telescope has delivered a stunning new view of a planetary nursery that defies simple expectations. Astronomers describe the object IRAS 23077+6707, affectionately nicknamed Dracula’s Chivito, as the largest and most unusual protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a single star. The image and its accompanying data offer a…
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Hidden companion around Betelgeuse revealed by Hubble’s light wake
Hubble’s wake reveals a hidden companion around Betelgeuse Astronomers have long been fascinated by Betelgeuse, the red supergiant that anchors Orion’s familiar winter sky. While its bright red glow makes it one of the best-studied stars in the galaxy, new Hubble Space Telescope observations hint that Betelgeuse may have a hidden companion star stirring its…
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Hubble Discovers a Starless Dark Matter Cloud: A New Cosmic Object
Introduction: A Frontier Object Emerges from the Hubble Data In a surprising turn of observations, the Hubble Space Telescope has identified a novel cosmic object that challenges our understanding of how galaxies assemble their outskirts. The object is not a planet-forming disk, not a glowing nebula, and not a rogue galaxy. Instead, it appears to…
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N159: A Massive Stellar Nursery in the Large Magellanic Cloud
Introduction: A Milky Way Companion’s Brilliant Nursery Among the countless wonders cataloged by the Hubble Space Telescope, N159 stands out as one of the most massive and actively star-forming clouds in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Located about 160,000 light-years away in the Dorado constellation, this colossal star-forming region offers a vivid glimpse into how…
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N159: A Mighty Star-Forming Cloud in the Large Magellanic Cloud — Hubble’s Week in Space
Hubble’s Picture of the Week: Spotlight on N159 In its ongoing series of “Picture of the Week,” the Hubble Space Telescope turns the lens toward some of the most dramatic stellar nurseries in our galactic neighborhood. The latest selection highlights N159, a colossal star-forming cloud in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Located roughly 160,000 light-years…
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N159: Hubble Captures One of the LMC’s Largest Star-Forming Clouds
Introduction: A Glimpse into a Newborn Stellar Landscape The Hubble Space Telescope’s latest image of N159 offers a rare, intimate look at one of the Large Magellanic Cloud’s most massive star-forming clouds. Nestled in the constellation Dorado, this colossal cosmic nursery is about 160,000 light-years from Earth. While the Large Magellanic Cloud sits as a…
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Big Bear’s Night Sky Spotlight: Hubble Captures Mrk 178, a Dwarf Galaxy in Ursa Major
Big Bear Gears Up for a Cosmic New Year with a Hubble Spotlight On December 31, 2025, stargazers in the Big Bear region woke to a celestial spectacle as NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope offered a striking new image: Markarian 178, a dwarf galaxy nestled in the constellation Ursa Major. This image, celebrated as a “Photo…
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What Hubble Reveals About Markarian 178: A Dwarf Galaxy in Ursa Major
Big Bear, Big Stars: Hubble’s Glimpse of Markarian 178 On the final day of 2025, the Hubble Space Telescope added another striking image to its gallery of the universe’s wonders by capturing Markarian 178 (Mrk 178), a compact dwarf galaxy perched in the constellation Ursa Major. This ultraviolet-bright galaxy belongs to a distinctive class of…
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Big Bear Photo of the Day: Hubble Captures Markarian 178
Big Bear Keeps Its Cosmic Spotlight: Photo of the Day for December 31, 2025 On December 31, 2025, the skies above Big Bear glow not just with holiday lights but with a rare intersection of Earthly celebration and cosmic curiosity. The popular “Photo of the Day” feature highlights a striking astronomical image captured by the…
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Hubble Discovers the Largest Planet Nursery Ever Seen
Introduction: A Giant, Untamed Cradle for Planets Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have unveiled what may be the largest and most erratic planet-forming disk observed to date. While most protoplanetary disks around young stars appear orderly—spinning, flattening, and gradually coalescing into planets—this newly imaged disk defies expectations. It is sprawling, irregular, and loud in…