Images In The Raw #3

This shot of Saturn's moon Enceladus was captured by Cassini on April 26, 2010.
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Spiral Galaxy M51 and companion galaxy NGC 5195.
Credit: S. Beckwith (STScI), Hubble Heritage Team, (STScI/AURA), ESA, NASA

Within The Carina Nebula

Hubble has released a spectacular series of images of a section of the Carina Nebula in commemoration of its 20th Anniversary. This single pillar of gas and dust measures three light years in height and is being blown apart by infant stars buried within it and eaten away by the light from the stars that surround it.

Images Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI)

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

Two of the just released "First Light" images from NASA's new space telescope, the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Prominence taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory

Full-disk multiwavelength extreme ultraviolet image of the sun taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory

Hubble's View Of Messier 66's Dust Lanes, Bright Star Clusters And Spiral Arms

Messier 66 is the largest of the Leo Triplets (a trio of spiral galaxies) and is distinguished by its asymmetric spiral arms which appear to climb above M 66's main disc and its seemingly displaced core. Both distortions are believed to be the result of the gravitational pull of its two galactic siblings, M 65 and NGC 3628. Further, with three supernovae since 1989, including one as recently as 2009, M 66 is host to a relatively exceptional number of supernovae explosions.

Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration.

Wide-field view of Messier 66. Credit: NASA, ESA and and Digitized Sky Survey 2.

Hidden Galaxy No More

IC 342, also known as the "hidden galaxy" because of its location behind the veil of dust, gas and stars of the Milky Way, is brought into focus thanks to WISE's penetrating infrared view. IC 342 is shown in green, yellow and red. The blue stars in this image are those that reside within our Milky Way galaxy.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

Orion Nebula

This Spitzer Space Telescope image is of the Orion Nebula. Prominent features include the Trapezium star cluster, home to the hottest stars in the region (center right in the image below), and the dark areas center left are the densest parts of the dust cloud that is being shaped by the radiation and winds created by these young, energetic stars.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech