So while you’re waiting for my inevitable review of Star Wars (it’ll be up Thursday night, I hope!) I thought I would treat my readers to this image:
It’s an image of a young star which is just starting to emerge from its cocoon of gas and dust. I saw the image a couple of weeks ago, before it was released publicly, and it was a real “Wow!” moment. I spend and have spent a lot of time looking at astronomical images, and it’s rare to find one I don’t recognize at all. But to find out it’s from a cluster of young stars with which I am passingly familiar was an added notch to the coolness factor of the image.
Boosting it even higher is that the image was taken by amateur astronomers on the ginormous Gemini 8 meter telescope (imagine a mirror as big as a living room, a roomy living room, and you get the idea). Amateurs these days know as much or more about imaging as many professionals, including me. I started off as an amateur with a small ‘scope, and in many ways think of myself as one. So it’s with a degree of pride that I display that image. Read the link; it’s fun. I love it when people are so enthusiastic about astronomy!
Oh, and I’ll mention the amateurs who took that image were Canadians. Why mention it? Because this image comes hard on the heels of a news item that says Canada is #1 in astronomy worldwide.
So take off! It’s a beauty way to go.
May 19th, 2005 at 1:06 am
Wow! What a beautiful image. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
May 19th, 2005 at 3:19 am
Wow- cool image. It looks simalar to M42 and M43. Wirh the big arc thing and a smaller one to the side.
May 19th, 2005 at 12:00 pm
Very nifty. The Pleiades image has some serious issues, though. I guess the CFHT doesn’t like bright stars. :/
May 19th, 2005 at 1:13 pm
Hurray for Canada! I don’t know if I should credit the fine formative presence of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (rasc.ca), or the absence of serious political forces trying to replace science with religious instruction.
For you Canadians out there; we have our own constellation. It’s Lyra! The constellation with the donut and the double-double!
-Andy B
May 19th, 2005 at 2:52 pm
I can’t wait for your Star Wars review. I saw it last night and while the seven year old in me was thrilled by the better-than-expected episode, the space science nerd in me was groaning at the physics gaffs. The opening battle sequence alone will probably take you 10 pages to cover! Have at it!
May 19th, 2005 at 3:41 pm
Is the BA a Geddy Lee fan?
May 19th, 2005 at 4:00 pm
Yes, concentrating on the stars lets forget the weather…
June 3rd, 2005 at 10:33 pm
Incredible. Maybe we could convince our great northern neighbors to help us convince nasa to save the Hubble. If they do, I say give it to them. They deserve it.
The other BA