NASA / JPL-Caltech / WISE Team

These nine galaxies were observed by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. Infrared wavelengths have been translated into colors we can see, with the shortest wavelengths shown in blue and the longest wavelengths in red. The galaxy in the center is NGC 1398, a barred spiral. Clockwise from top left, the other galaxies are M51 (Whirlpool Galaxy), M81 (Bode's Galaxy), M83 (Southern Pinwheel Galaxy), NGC 2403, IC342 (Hidden Galaxy), IC 4895 (Barnard's Galaxy), NGC 5907 (Splinter Galaxy) and NGC 628.

A gathering of glorious galaxies

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, is best-known for making an all-sky survey in search of asteroids, brown dwarfs and perhaps even planets on the edge of our solar system and beyond. But WISE's infrared eyes can also see much more distant objects in a new light. During this week's American Astronomical Society meeting in Boston, the WISE team released pictures of nine glorious galaxies, with infrared wavelengths translated into the visible-light spectrum. In these pictures, the oldest stars look blue. Pockets of newly formed stars have yellow or reddish hues. To learn more about the cosmic menagerie and see bigger versions of the pictures, check out today's news release from the WISE astronomers.

Still more about WISE:


You can connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page or following @b0yle on Twitter. Also, give a look to "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Discuss this post

WOW. What Beauty.

  • 2 votes
Reply#1 - Thu May 26, 2011 11:48 AM EDT

Agreed 100%. Amazing beauty.

  • 1 vote
#1.1 - Thu May 26, 2011 3:44 PM EDT

ditto

  • 1 vote
#1.2 - Fri May 27, 2011 6:57 AM EDT
Reply

We can all point to others as the source of America's problems. The cold hard facts are that we have become spoiled children of the state of our own lack of morality. When a U.S. auto worker makes $72.00 an hour, retires with full benefits, has the education of a 6th graders, the car manufacturer pays the 2nd highest corporate taxes on earth and is hounded toward bankruptcy by environmental laws, frivolous lawsuits and so on - it is little wonder that we shall soon be called the "U.S.S.A:" The United Socialist States of America." All the while, the Chinese and most others are happy to make $72/week.

I challenge every American to educate themselves in basic political knowledge - buy and watch the documentary "AGENDA." Then look around you, stop pointing at others for our decline, accept responsibility to change us back to the America we were.

Grow up, be people of integrity and character, sound morals and ethics and rise up against this madness...before it is too late.

Stephen - educated American understand these other genocides - what good would it do to acknowledge them now? Should President Obama go and apologize?

There is a greater genocide perpetuated throughout the last century where socialist-Communist have slaughtered more all the other centuries combined!

What has that got to do with anything? Well, they are on the rise again! If you are so passionate about injustice - do something before our country falls to an evil that will make the slaughter of the past look like a picnic.

  • 1 vote
Reply#2 - Thu May 26, 2011 1:18 PM EDT

Me thinks, Skeeter you should post your opinons on the Fox network. Please state facts, not your worthless opinons..

  • 2 votes
Reply#3 - Thu May 26, 2011 7:10 PM EDT
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