NASA - Going Supernova - The beauty of the Universe

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Going Supernova
While searching the skies for black holes using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers discovered a giant supernova that was smothered in its own dust. In this artist's rendering, an outer shell of gas and dust -- which erupted from the star hundreds of years ago -- obscures the supernova within. This event in a distant galaxy hints at one possible future for the brightest star system in our own Milky Way.

Image Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech

More images:
www.nasa.gov...
www.nasa.gov...


Just thought I would drop a thread to remind everyone that while chaotic and uncomprehendible, the Universe is still full of incredible beauty.

With all the calamity going on atop our tiny corner of a single galaxy in the vast sea of galaxies being the focal point of everyone's day, we should all take a quick "time out" and pay witness to something larger than ourselves.

Don't forget for one minute, that your personal problems are a blessing in disguise. It is all made possible by every single atom, quark, and molecule that makes up every inch of this unmeasured mother to us all.

Happy new year everyone, even if the rest of the Universe doesn't notice!

Great find!This universe is filled with such beauty sometimes even when a star is at its end of its life Its turns into something that is stunning and remarkable despite us being light years from the star.It just comes to show that the universe has some stunning images that it presents itself infront of our eyes.

It's a great thing when these such things are brought to attention. It puts in perspective that we are indeed insignificant in the grand scheme of things. There are things much more impacting to the universe than what goes on on our tiny little rock.

Originally posted by sbctinfantry
Just thought I would drop a thread to remind everyone that while chaotic and uncomprehendible, the Universe is still full of incredible beauty.

I agree, and many of the actual Hubble telescope images are stunningly beautiful.

However I have to ask, why are we looking at an artist's rendition in the image you chose for your OP?

What does it really look like?

And why aren't they....and you, showing us a photo of the actual thing instead of some painting which may or may not be what it really looks like?

Sorry I'm not trying to be negative, as I said i agree the Hubble images of space are stunningly beautiful, it just seems odd that you didn't show us one of those beautiful images, but showed us a painting instead. I can say it's a nice painting but it leaves me wondering what the real image looks like?

They didn't provide one. It's the closest thing I could find. I'm sure anyone frequenting this site doesn't need a picture to know how beautiful the universe is, this artist didn't.