What Is Casting Dark Shadows Across 36,000 Light-years Of Space In This Hubble Space Telescope Image?

What Is Casting Dark Shadows Across 36,000 Light-years Of Space In This Hubble Space Telescope Image?

What is casting dark shadows across 36,000 light-years of space in this Hubble Space Telescope image?

The mysterious dark rays appearing to emanate from galaxy IC 5063 have intrigued astronomers, and there are a few different ideas about what is causing them. They could be like the shadows of clouds when light from the setting Sun pierces through them.

Astronomers have traced the rays back to the galaxy’s core, the location of an active supermassive black hole. One idea suggests that the shadows are being cast into space by an inner tube-shaped ring, or torus, of dusty material surrounding the black hole.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and W.P. Maksym (CfA).

ALT TEXT: Rust-colored view of space, with a bright, narrow purple region at the center, a galaxy. Background stars and galaxies are scattered sparsely—this is a dusty rather than starry scene. To the upper left of the bright central region are dark dust lanes. Opposite these to the lower right, one dark area extends from the central bright region and splits into two dark rays. Similar dark rays can be seen to the top left, behind the dust lanes. The edges of the entire image are dark, fading from the colored center.

More Posts from Bsuobservatory and Others

6 months ago

Wed. Oct. 30: We'll be closed tonight due to clouds. We'll try again next week!

1 year ago

Reblog Vs. Repost

In short: reblogging is awesome. Reposting isn't.

4 weeks ago

Calling all geology and space lovers!

NASA's Perseverance rover has been collecting rock samples on Mars for 4 years now, and already there are some exciting finds! Check out the article here:

Space
"The last four months have been a whirlwind for the science team, and we still feel that Witch Hazel Hill has more to tell us."

Tags
1 year ago
Mare Cognitum ("The Sea That Has Become Known") With Kuiper Crater At The Center // L'AstroVan

Mare Cognitum ("The Sea that has Become Known") with Kuiper crater at the center // l'AstroVan

Mare Cognitum ("The Sea that has Become Known") is the landing sites of several lunar missions. Ranger 7 (1964) impacted here after its mission was finished; Surveyor 3 (1967) and Apollo 12 (1969) landed near its northern shore; and Apollo 14 (1971) landed near this mare as well.

Kuiper crater is named after the Dutch-American astronomy Gerard Kuiper (1905-1973), the father of modern planetary science


Tags
1 year ago
This Striking Image Captures The Interacting galaxy pair Known As Arp-Madore 2339-661, So Named Because

This striking image captures the interacting galaxy pair known as Arp-Madore 2339-661, so named because they belong to the Arp-Madore catalogue of peculiar galaxies. However, this particular peculiarity might be even odder than first meets the eye, as there are in fact three galaxies interacting here, not just two. 

The two clearly defined galaxies are NGC 7733 (smaller, lower right) and NGC 7734 (larger, upper left). The third galaxy is currently referred to as NGC 7733N, and can actually be spotted in this picture if you look carefully at the upper arm of NGC 7733, where there is a visually notable knot-like structure, glowing with a different colour to the arm and obscured by dark dust. 

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA


Tags
2 months ago
Picture Of The Day!

Picture of the Day!

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of the iconic Pillars of Creation, a region where new stars are being born within thick clouds of gas and dust. The three-dimensional pillars resemble towering rock formations, yet they are much more porous. Composed of cool interstellar gas and dust, they sometimes appear semi-transparent in near-infrared light.


Tags
1 year ago

Top Study Tips from NASA

Two female engineers wearing white lab coats and blue gloves work on metal machinery at a desk in a warehouse. Credit: NASA/Bridget Caswell

Study smarter this school year! We asked scientists, engineers, astronauts, and experts from across NASA about their favorite study tips – and they delivered. Here are a few of our favorites:

Two astronauts work on a task in zero gravity aboard the International Space Station. They high five each other. Credit: NASA

Study with friends

Find friends that are like-minded and work together to understand the material better. Trading ideas with a friend on how to tackle a problem can help you both strengthen your understanding.

NASA astronaut Megan McArthur reads a blue book while floating in the cupola observation module on the International Space Station. She is wearing a red shirt and gray pants. Behind her, Earth can be seen through the module windows. Credit: NASA/Megan McArthur

Create a study environment

Find a quiet space or put on headphones so you can focus. You might not be able to get to the International Space Station yet, but a library, a study room, or a spot outside can be a good place to study. If it’s noisy around you, try using headphones to block out distractions.

An astronaut floats upside down toward a water bubble aboard the International Space Station. His face is magnified and right side up in the liquid. Credit: NASA

Take breaks

Don’t burn yourself out! Take a break, go for a walk, get some water, and come back to it.

Looking for more study tips? Check out this video for all ten tips to start your school year off on the right foot!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!


Tags
1 month ago

3/19/25: So far it looks likely to cloud up, but we'll wait a few more hours before deciding whether to hold our public night.


Tags
2 months ago

Video of the Day!

NASA’s next mission to the Moon will carry LEXI (the Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager), an instrument which will provide the first-ever global view of the magnetic field that shields Earth from solar radiation!


Tags
Loading...
End of content
No more pages to load
  • tangledindream
    tangledindream liked this · 6 months ago
  • awesomephilosophus
    awesomephilosophus reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • wakayume
    wakayume liked this · 1 year ago
  • truttr
    truttr liked this · 1 year ago
  • lxndr02
    lxndr02 liked this · 1 year ago
  • dallas-big-boy
    dallas-big-boy liked this · 1 year ago
  • sharpdistances
    sharpdistances reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • fandomnerd369
    fandomnerd369 liked this · 1 year ago
  • spitfire-62
    spitfire-62 liked this · 1 year ago
  • diamondsforlife
    diamondsforlife liked this · 1 year ago
  • speedygoopduckshark
    speedygoopduckshark liked this · 1 year ago
  • urcherrr
    urcherrr liked this · 1 year ago
  • lusiwolf
    lusiwolf liked this · 1 year ago
  • xploseof
    xploseof reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • jovialpenguinarcade
    jovialpenguinarcade liked this · 1 year ago
  • cheers-in-the-cabin
    cheers-in-the-cabin liked this · 1 year ago
  • lilteecupangels
    lilteecupangels reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • nergalluna
    nergalluna liked this · 1 year ago
  • imglowing-pink-inthenight
    imglowing-pink-inthenight liked this · 1 year ago
  • lulyal27-blog
    lulyal27-blog liked this · 1 year ago
  • dube82
    dube82 liked this · 1 year ago
  • alexxtroi
    alexxtroi reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • alexxtroi
    alexxtroi liked this · 1 year ago
  • sakuraswordly
    sakuraswordly reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • awesomeatomiccollector
    awesomeatomiccollector liked this · 1 year ago
  • iusedtobereal-blog
    iusedtobereal-blog reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • kimmi17
    kimmi17 liked this · 1 year ago
  • maxu59317
    maxu59317 liked this · 1 year ago
  • notrealandneverwas
    notrealandneverwas liked this · 1 year ago
  • balance0101
    balance0101 liked this · 1 year ago
  • bradaw94
    bradaw94 liked this · 1 year ago
  • iiddonuttccare
    iiddonuttccare liked this · 1 year ago
  • anchzx
    anchzx liked this · 1 year ago
  • panda-poes
    panda-poes reblogged this · 1 year ago
  • vihubehe
    vihubehe liked this · 1 year ago
  • cryptidchrome
    cryptidchrome liked this · 1 year ago
bsuobservatory - Bridgewater State University Observatory
Bridgewater State University Observatory

STEM Education, Astrophysics Research, Astrophotography, and Outreach located at 24 Park Ave., Bridgewater MA. You'll find us on the two outdoor balconies on the 5th floor, and you'll find our official website here: https://www.bridgew.edu/center/case/observatory .

150 posts

Explore Tumblr Blog
Search Through Tumblr Tags