July 15, 2013 - Galactic Bubble Tells All

Galactic Bubble Tells All A popular cosmological theory states that galaxies develop through a process in which small galaxies continually merge with larger galaxies. The cumulative effect of these mergers would explain the existence of massive galaxies, but the process should leave behind clues that point to these ancient interactions. Working with a professional astronomer, a small group of amateur astronomers, including R. Jay GaBany, conducted extreme long-exposure imaging (in excess of eight hours) of nearby galaxies and found compelling evidence of previously unrecognized large-scale stellar streams surrounding the galaxies. These “bubbles” of matter, such as the one seen in this image of NGC 3521, are believed to be multiple debris shells from previous mergers with one or more satellite galaxies.

Image credit: R. Jay GaBany / www.Cosmotography.com

Weekly Calendar

July 15-21, 2013

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

Monday 15

First Quarter Moon 11:18 PM ET

1975: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (Apollo 18) launched, last Apollo mission
2004: Aura satellite launched
2009: STS-127 Endeavour launched
2012: Soyuz TMA-05M launched carrying ISS Expedition 32/33 crew

Tuesday 16

Spica 0.3° south of Moon
Saturn 3° north of Moon

1969: Apollo 11 launched
1994: First fragment of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts Jupiter
2011: Dawn spacecraft enters orbit around Vesta

Wednesday 17

Uranus appears stationary

1850: John Adams Whipple takes first stellar photograph (Vega)
1970: Final HL-10 lifting body flight
1975: Apollo-Soyuz dock in orbit
1984: Soyuz T-12 launched, 100th human space flight

Thursday 18

1921: John Glenn born
1966: Gemini X launched
1980: India becomes seventh nation to launch its own satellite

Friday 19

1846: Edward Pickering born
1967: Explorer 35 launched
1985: NASA selects Christa McAuliffe as first teacher to travel in space

Saturday 20

Mercury appears stationary

1969: Apollo 11 astronauts become first humans walk on Moon
1976: Viking 1 lands on Mars
1999: Liberty Bell 7 capsule recovered from Atlantic Ocean after 38 years

Sunday 21

Moon at perigee

1961: Liberty Bell 7 suborbital flight; capsule sinks in Atlantic Ocean
1969: Apollo 11 lunar module Eagle lifts off from Moon