Stargazing Calendar for April 2024
Discover the celestial marvels of stargazing in April 2024 with a total solar eclipse, the Lyrid meteor shower, and the perihelion of a comet.
What Is the Council of Giants?
Embark on a cosmic journey through the Council of Giants, exploring the enigmatic structures and active cores of giant galaxies in the Local Sheet. Witness the dynamic evolution shaping these celestial wonders within our cosmic neighborhood.
Astronomy Picture of the Week – Whirlpool Galaxy
This image of the spiral galaxy M51, dubbed the Whirlpool Galaxy, was taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. M51 is a typical spiral galaxy which includes graceful, curving arms, pink star-forming regions, and brilliant blue strands of star clusters. It is located at a distance of approximately 31 million light-years from the Milky Way Galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici. It is one of the most famous galaxies in the sky. M51 can easily be observed by amateur astronomers, and may even be seen with binoculars. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)