Beyond Our World
Observatory / Course Archives / ASTR 110 Fall 2019 / Biddlecome
Kepler-186f
Kepler-186f is one of the most famous exo-planets of its time (planet which orbits a star outside the solar system). It is the first Earth-sized planet within the habitable zone of its star that isn't ours. You can find the Kepler in the constellation of Cygnus, orbiting a cool, dim, M-dwarf star about 500 light-years away from Earth. Now, 186f is just 1 of 5 in the solar system, but is the only one with surface temperatures allowing water. It is also similar to our Earth in the structure that it is a rocky planet and has an atmosphere.
Kepler-186f is not described as a brother or sister of Earth, but more like a cousin. Some differences include the fact that it only gets ⅓ of energy from its star that Earth gets. Meaning the brightness of its star at high noon is only as bright as our sun appears to us an hour before it sets. An important clarification, just because it is in a habitable zone, does not mean that it is completely habitable, it all relies on the temperature in the atmosphere.
Carina Nebula
If you're looking for one of the most visibly majestic nebulae out there, the Carina will not disappoint. This photogenic stellar object stretches over 300 light years and is one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. About 3 million years ago, NGC 3372 (Carina Nebula) condensed and ignited its first generation of baby stars! Carina is known as a "supernova factory", and homes the very famous Eta Carinae (star over 100x the mass of the sun).
Unlike others, the Carina Nebula is very easily visible to the naked eye, with interstellar gas and obscuring cosmic dust clouds. Factors that make up what we see include marks such as Mystic Mountain and the Homunculus and Keyhole Nebula. Another fact about this nebula that makes it special is the possibility of free-floating planets that don't orbit any stars existing here!
Spanish Dancer Galaxy
The award for most photogenic spiral galaxy hands-down goes to the Spanish Dancer Galaxy. Also known as NGC 1566, it contains billions of stars and is about 40 million light-years away, near the constellation of Dorado. Having been classified as a grand design spiral, two huge arms decorated with bright blue star clusters and cosmic dust lanes make this galaxy extremely eye catching.
It is part of a group called The Seyfert galaxies (Seyfert's actively emit strong radiation bursts from their core). Its flaring and unusually active center make this spiral one of the brightest Seyferts, very likely housing a central supermassive black hole. Not as frequent as the blue stars, Spanish Dancer does have some pinkish hydrogen knots birthing new stars.