APOD 4.4

April 18, 2012


The Flight Deck of Space Shuttle Endeavor

     Endeavor is the second to last space shuttle ever launched by NASA.  It is capable of entering the Earth's atmosphere at speeds greater than the speed of sound.  Since it is now retired, it is going to be sent to the California Space Center in Los Angeles, California.  Although it is exciting that we will be able to see space shuttles up close in museums now, I cannot help but be depressed by the shuttles retirement.  After all, without being able to use the space shuttle for real missions, it's like viewing a more complex version of  Disney's "Mission Space" ride.

APOD 4.3

April 10, 2012: A Fox Fur, a Unicorn, and a Christmas Tree

     The above picture is of the constellation Monoceros, star forming region NGC 2264.  It is roughly 2700 light-years in distance.  It mixes red emission nebulae and blue reflection nebulae.  This picture specifically includes the Fox Fur Nebula, the Cone Nebula, and S Mon (a young dwarf star which gives the photo a blue glow).  The red color in the photo and the Cone Nebula is produced by hydrogen gas.

APOD 4.2

2 April 2012
Tungurahua Erupts

  This photo of Tungurahua (a volcano) was caputured in Ecuador in 2006.  It is 5,000 meters high so there are white clouds that flow around the peak of the volcano.  The black smoke in the picture is actually dark ash being ejected by the volcano.  Also visible in the background of the photo are stars.