The UniverseThe universe may not only be stranger than we think.But may even be stranger than we could possibly think. -J.B.S. Haldane

The Big Bang

The age of the universe is estimated to be 13.7 billion years.

Superheated early universe

Heres an image of the spectacular Sombrero galaxy obtained by NASAs Hubble Space Telescope. Sombrero Galaxy, also known as NGC 4594, can be found in the constellation Virgo.

Hoags Object

Hoags ObjectThis nearly perfect ring of hot, blue stars around a yellow nucleus is the very unusual galaxy known as Hoags Object. The Hubble Space Telescope captured this face-on view of the galaxys ring of stars, revealing more detail than any other existing photo of this object. The image may help astronomers unravel clues on how such strange objects form.The entire galaxy is about 120,000 light-years wide, which is slightly larger than our Milky Way Galaxy.

Hubble Against Earth's Horizon (1997)The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was carried into orbit in 1990. It was not the first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most versatile. The HST was built by NASA with assistance from the European Space Agency. The HST is named after Edwin Hubble. Hubbles orbit outside the distortion of Earths atmosphere allows it to take extremely sharp images with very little background light. Hubble observations have led to many breakthroughs in astrophysics. One of the best known is the ability to accurately determine the rate of expansion of the universe. After a servicing mission in 2009, the HST is expected to function until at 2014 at a minimum.

We are the product of 4.5 billion years of fortuitous, slow biological evolution. There is no reason to think that the evolutionary process has stopped. Man is a transitional animal. He is not the climax of creation. -Carl Sagan

Life cycle of the stars

More stars than you can imagine

Super massive black hole

THE STARS CLOSEST TO THE EARTH THE STARS CLOSEST TO THE EARTH

Proxima Centauri(in Centaurus) Distance 4.2 light-yearsAlpha Centauri A and B (in Centaurus) Distance 4.3 light-yearsBarnard's Star (in Ophiuchus) Distance 6.0 light-yearsWolf 359 (in Leo) Distance 7.7 light-yearsLalande 21185 (in Ursa Major) Distance 8.1 light-yearsSirius A Distance 8.6 light-yearsSirius B (in Canis Major) Distance 8.6 light-yearsLuyten 726-8 Distance 8.4 light-yearsUV Ceti (in Cetus) Distance 8.4 light-yearsRoss 154 Distance 9.4 light-yearsRoss 248 Distance 10.4 light-years

Andromeda Galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years (2.41019km) from Earth

NebulaeThese pictures were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and are provided courtesy of the Space Telescope Science Institute. All images were imaged with the Wide-Field Planetary Camera 2 or the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS). http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-astro-nebula.html

Columns of cool interstellar hydrogen gas and dust in M16, the Eagle Nebula

Closer view of the leftmost "pillar" of interstellar hydrogen gas and dust in M16, the Eagle Nebula.

Mosaic of 45 images taken between Jan. 1994 and March 1995 of M42, the Orion Nebula.

MyCn18, a young planetary nebula located about 8,000 light-years away.

Collision of two gasses ("cometary knots") in the Helix Nebula in the constellation Aquarius

Closer view of the "cometary knots" in the Helix Nebula

The Crab Nebula, M1, as imaged by HST and the Mount Palomar telescope.

Star forming region in the nebula NCG 604, in the nearby sprial galaxy M33, as imaged by HST and the Mount Palomar telescope.

Star forming region in the nebula NCG 2366, in the Magellanic galaxy NGC 2366, as imaged by HST and the Canada-France-Hawaii (CFHT) 3.6-meter telescope on Mauna Kea.

One-half light-year long interstellar "twisters" in the Lagoon Nebula (M8) in the constellation Sagittarius.

Closer view of the "twisters" in the Lagoon Nebula.

Image of the youngest known planetary nebula, the Stingray nebula (Hen-1357).

Stellar formation in NGC 3603.

Stellar formation in the Papillon Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

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