Hubble Glimpses Galactic Gas Making a Getaway

A sideways spiral galaxy shines in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. Located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo (the Maiden), NGC 4388 is a resident of the Virgo galaxy cluster. This enormous cluster of galaxies contains more than a thousand members and is the nearest large galaxy cluster to the Milky […]

Betelgeuse and the Crab Nebula: Stellar Death and Rebirth

What happens when a star dies? In 2019, Betelgeuse dimmed in brightness, sparking speculation that it may soon explode as a supernova. While it likely won’t explode quite yet, we can preview its fate by observing the nearby Crab Nebula. Betelgeuse is easy to find as the red-hued shoulder star of Orion. A variable star, […]