Welcome to Astronotes
Hello, IтАЩm Colin, welcoming you to Astronotes, the PlanetariumтАЩs official blog. Here you will find the latest news and views from the fascinating worlds of astronomy and space exploration. We hope you will come here to learn what is hot and exciting, profound or even weird from worlds beyond ours . So that's the introduction out of the way, now on with the Universe!
Visit Our Main Website
-
galaxies Archive
-
![In more than twenty years of hard work, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has made both beautiful images and profound discoveries, sometimes doing both at the same time. What are […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/image-of-2009-Hubble-Ultra-Deep-Field-115x115.jpg "As Far as Our Eyes Can See")
As Far as Our Eyes Can See
Posted on September 29, 2011 | 1 CommentIn more than twenty years of hard work, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has made both beautiful images and profound discoveries, sometimes doing both at the same time. What are […] -
![The astronomy community is excited by the discovery of an exploding star, a supernova, in a galaxy 21 million light years away in the constellation Ursa Major. We explain this […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Image-of-supernova-115x115.jpg "How to see an Exploding Star")
How to see an Exploding Star
Posted on September 8, 2011 | 3 CommentsThe astronomy community is excited by the discovery of an exploding star, a supernova, in a galaxy 21 million light years away in the constellation Ursa Major. We explain this […] -
![An image from the European Southern Observatory, reveals two galaxies, NGC 3169 and NGC 3166, meeting in intergalactic space. What kind of cosmic drama ensues in these close encounters of […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Image-of-interacting-galaxies-115x115.jpg "Image of the Month: War of the Galaxies!")
Image of the Month: War of the Galaxies!
Posted on April 21, 2011 | No CommentsAn image from the European Southern Observatory, reveals two galaxies, NGC 3169 and NGC 3166, meeting in intergalactic space. What kind of cosmic drama ensues in these close encounters of […] -
![The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope brings us new face-on portraits of six spiral galaxies. But what is the science behind these delightful images? Everyone loves stunning pictures […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Image-of-six-spiral-galaxies-115x115.jpg "Spiral galaxies in a glorious new gallery from the Very Large Telescope")
Spiral galaxies in a glorious new gallery from the Very Large Telescope
Posted on October 28, 2010 | 3 CommentsThe European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope brings us new face-on portraits of six spiral galaxies. But what is the science behind these delightful images? Everyone loves stunning pictures […] -
![Galaxies, distant from us in space and time, have been in the news recently. Astronomers knew that far away galaxies (and hence ancient galaxies)were smaller than those galaxies closer (in […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/image-of-early-galaxy-115x115.jpg "Another galaxy, far, far away seen by HST and ESO")
Another galaxy, far, far away seen by HST and ESO
Posted on October 21, 2010 | No CommentsGalaxies, distant from us in space and time, have been in the news recently. Astronomers knew that far away galaxies (and hence ancient galaxies)were smaller than those galaxies closer (in […] -
![In, say 1975, there was only one kind of ‘stuff’ in the Universe, matter made of protons and neutrons. By 1985 there was a consensus that this was not enough, […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/image-of-gravitational-lens-115x115.jpg "Dark matter and dark energy: the deepest mysteries in astronomy")
Dark matter and dark energy: the deepest mysteries in astronomy
Posted on October 1, 2010 | 2 CommentsIn, say 1975, there was only one kind of ‘stuff’ in the Universe, matter made of protons and neutrons. By 1985 there was a consensus that this was not enough, […] -
![We all love bright and showy spiral galaxies! So much so, that we tend to overlook the elliptical galaxies which make up about 30% of the galaxies out there. Smaller […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/image-of-NGC4696-115x115.jpg "Elliptical galaxies: everything you need to know")
Elliptical galaxies: everything you need to know
Posted on October 1, 2010 | No CommentsWe all love bright and showy spiral galaxies! So much so, that we tend to overlook the elliptical galaxies which make up about 30% of the galaxies out there. Smaller […] -
Hubble sees a messy Messier
Posted on September 24, 2010 | No CommentsAbout 100 000 light years across, Messier 66 is the largest galaxy in the "Leo Triplet", three interacting spiral galaxies about 33 million light years from us. This new Hubble Space Telescope image shows that M66 seems to have been through the mangle. Misshapen with an off-centre core, the galaxy is not a neat spiral. It has been tugged by the gravitational pulls of its neighbours', NGC 3628 and M65, and indeed may have suffered a close encounter with NGC 3628 a billion years or so ago which ripped away hundreds of thousands of stars. Located just under the line between Regulus and Denebola, M66 and M65 can be seen with a small telescope or 10x50 binoculars in the spring. Why not go out to see if you can find these distant islands of stars? (What is a Messier object? You can find out in this issue of Astronotes) -
![Dark matter and its part in the evolution of the Universe is revealed by new data collected by the Hubble Space Telescope. This image could be taken for a lurid […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Image-of-galaxies-with-dark-matter-115x115.jpg "Hubble throws light on dark matter")
Hubble throws light on dark matter
Posted on September 24, 2010 | No CommentsDark matter and its part in the evolution of the Universe is revealed by new data collected by the Hubble Space Telescope. This image could be taken for a lurid […] -
![‘ Elliptical galaxy ESO 306-17 looks rather pretty in this Hubble Space Telescope image (count how many other galaxies there are in the background!). However beautiful though it may be, […]](http://www.armaghplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/heic1004a-resized-115x115.jpg "Cannibal galaxy ESO 306-17 eats its neighbours!")
Cannibal galaxy ESO 306-17 eats its neighbours!
Posted on September 17, 2010 | No Comments‘ Elliptical galaxy ESO 306-17 looks rather pretty in this Hubble Space Telescope image (count how many other galaxies there are in the background!). However beautiful though it may be, […]