APOD 4.3 (belated)

Extended Gas in Active Galaxies

Images taken by the Hubble Telescope display the Hanny Voorwerpjes in a collection of images.  It is clear that the HV is similar in size to that of the Milky Way Galaxy.  The green colors derive from the ionized gas being released by the galaxy.

Godsp33d,

M31@n13

APOD 4.5

Total Solar Eclipse Over Svalbard

In Svalbard, Norway, a group of onlookers observe the total solar eclipse occurrence that happened on 4/20/15.  This photograph was created by taking an image of the sky every 3 minutes and afterwards combining them all into one image with the same foreground.  This allows the viewer to see the entire process of the eclipse in one photograph. Since the moon completely covered the sun during this process, it appears to be night time when it is actually day time! It was an event like this that had a huge impact on Mr. Percival's life - therefore I am looking forward to the 2017 eclipse that will be visible from the US. I can't wait.

Gudspeed,

Spugood

APOD 4.4

                                                   Milky Way over Erupting Volcano 

Near the top of the Guatemalan volcano, Santa Maria, on February 28th, 2015, this photographer was able to capture the Milky Way galaxy over the nearby volcanoes and mountains of Guatemala. The featured volcanoes are from the Central America Volcanic Arc. The volcano that's erupting in the picture is called Fuego.  

Gdspd,

Mln

APOD 4.20

A Flag Shaped Aurora Over Sweden

50 km tall, this astounding aurora displayed itself in the night sky of Sweden on March 30, 2015. (Image credit goes to Mia Stålnacke) Caused by coronal mass ejection, the aurora shows multiple different colors of light that happen to appear in the shape and pattern of a flag.  Completely random chances of getting a familiar shape or pattern!

Godspeed,

Melanie

APOD 4.1

Naked Eye Nova Sagittarii 2015 No. 2 

This stellar explosion is the most visible nova from Earth.

APOD 3.7

Aurora in the Backyard

Taken on the night of March 17th in a town in Sweden, these auroral lights became visible to the Swedish people from their very own backyards.  It has been decided that these lights were visible due to the strong geomagnetic storm of the solar cycle.  This is the Carpe Noctem Observatory.

Godspeed,

Melanie

research

Neutronization - The process, such as within a collapsing star, in which protons and electrons fuse to form neutrons and release neutrinos

Chandrasekhar mass - The Chandrasekhar limit is the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf star.

Stellar nucleosynthesis is the process by which the natural abundances of the chemical elements within stars vary due to nuclear fusion reactions in the cores and overlying mantles of stars. Stars are said to evolve (age) with changes in the abundances of the elements within.

Neutron capture - is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus and one or more neutrons collide and merge to form a heavier nucleus.

Nova- explosion of a white dwarf, causes a brightening of the star, occur on the surface of a white dwarf in a binary system, companion star can pull mass if they are in close proximity; recurring nova has multiple outbursts

Supernova- stellar explosion that outshines the entire galaxy; radiates as much energy as the entire Sun’s lifespan; expels the stars material; triggered by re-ignition of nuclear fusion in a degenerate star or by gravitational collapse of the core of a massive star

Photodisintegration- high energy gamma ray is absorbed by an atomic nucleus resulting in an excited nucleus that immediately decays by emitting a subatomic particle; reverse of nuclear fusion; endothermic for elements lighter than iron and exothermic for heavier ones