What kind of astronomical object is this? It doesn’t look quite like the kinds of galaxies, nebulae, star clusters or galaxy clusters which Hubble normally brings us images of. In fact, this is a spiral galaxy, named UGC 10043 — we just happen to be seeing it directly from the side! Located roughly 150 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens, UGC 10043 is one of the somewhat rare spiral galaxies that are seen edge-on.
From this point of view, we see the galaxy’s disc as a sharp line through space, overlain with a prominent dust lane. This dust is spread across the spiral arms of UGC 10043, but it looks very thick and cloudy when viewed from the side. You can even see the lights of some active star-forming regions in the arms, shining out from behind the dust. Strikingly, we can also see that the centre of the galaxy sports a glowing, almost egg-shaped ‘bulge’, rising far above and below the disc. All spiral galaxies have a bulge like this one as part of their structure, containing stars that orbit the galactic centre on paths above and below the whirling disc; it’s a feature that isn’t normally obvious in pictures of galaxies. The unusually large size of this bulge compared to the galaxy’s disc is possibly thanks to UGC 10043 siphoning material from a nearby dwarf galaxy. This may also be why the disc is warped, bending up at one end and down at the other.
Like most of the full-colour Hubble images released by ESA/Hubble, this image is a composite, made up of several individual snapshots taken by Hubble at different times and capturing different wavelengths of light. You can see the exact images used in the sidebar on this page. A notable aspect of this image is that the two sets of Hubble data used were collected 23 years apart, in 2000 and 2023! Hubble’s longevity doesn’t just afford us the ability to produce new and better images of old targets; it also provides a long-term archive of data which only becomes more and more useful to astronomers.
[Image Description: A spiral galaxy seen directly from the side, such that its disc looks like a narrow diagonal band across the image. A band of dark dust covers the disc in the centre most of the way out to the ends, and the disc glows around that. In the centre a whitish circle of light bulges out above and below the disc. The tips of the disc are a bit bent. The background is black and mostly empty.]
Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Windhorst, W. Keel; CC BY 4.0
Tags: UGC 10043 ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology HST Hubble Space Telescope Galaxy Supernova NASA Creative Commons Stars Star Serpens Spiral Galaxy
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This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from 13 November 2024 shows the Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano eruption on the island of Flores in southern Indonesia.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki started spewing ash and smoke on 4 November 2024. It has, so far, killed at least ten people and forced authorities to issue large-scale evacuations. The volcanic ash cloud also caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled. The image clearly depicts the huge plume of ash and smoke spewing from the volcano and drifting westwards.
Laki Laki is one of two adjacent stratovolcanoes on Mount Lewotobi. The volcano summits, which are less than 2 km apart, are known locally as the husband-and-wife mountains. Laki Laki means man, while its taller and broader spouse to its southeast is called Perempuan, or woman. While Perempuan has been dormant for decades, Laki Laki is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia.
The country is prone to earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity because it sits along the 'Ring of Fire', a continuous string of volcanoes and fault lines circling the Pacific Ocean.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2’s shortwave infrared channels, that detect heat sources, have been used in the processing of this image to display the activity on the volcano. The lava flowing from the crater is highlighted in orange and red.
Satellite data are an excellent means to monitor eruptions. Once an eruption begins, optical and radar instruments can capture the lava flows, mudslides, ground fissures and earthquakes.
Furthermore, atmospheric sensors can identify and measure the gases and aerosols released by the eruption, follow the spread and movement of volcanic plumes, and help to assess the environmental impact and possible hazards to aviation.
Credits: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2024), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Tags: ESA European Space Agency Space Space Technology Earth from Space Observing the Earth Earth Observation Earth Explorer Satellite image Sentinel Copernicus Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano Lewotobi Laki Laki Flores Indonesia Volcanic Eruption Volcano Volcanic Eruption Plume Ash
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ESA’s double-spacecraft precision formation flying mission, Proba-3, is due to be launched from India on 4 December. The spacecraft pair will employ a set of positioning technologies to keep formation in space and this image shows the most precise: a laser shone from one platform to a retroreflector on the other. The reflected laser beam will provide positioning precision down to a single millimetre.
This infrared view of the reflected laser beam was acquired during on-ground calibration testing performed by ESA, MDA and Centre Spatial de Liège personnel which took place at Redwire Space in Kruibeke, Belgium, back in February.
The goal of the mission is to achieve artificial solar eclipses on demand, as Proba-3’s Occulter spacecraft casting a precisely-controlled shadow onto its Coronagraph spacecraft for six hours at time. To maintain the position of a shadow just 8 cm across on the Coronagraph satellite from the Occulter satellite around 150 m away, the two satellites rely on multiple sensors, including inter-satellite radio links, Global Navigation Satellite System receivers, visual imaging of LEDs and – for the most precise positioning at closest range – a laser metrology (or ‘measurement of measurement’) system.
The laser is seen being fired from the Occulter spacecraft towards the Coronagraph’s retroreflector, designed to reflect it back in precisely the same direction it originated from. In addition a set of Shadow Position Sensors located around the coronagraph aperture will ensure the shadow remains in the correct position.
This mission is being put together for ESA by a consortium led by Spain’s SENER, with participation by more than 29 companies from 14 countries. The Proba-3 platforms have been designed by Airbus Defence and Space in Spain and satellite integration by Redwire in Belgium. GMV in Spain is responsible for Proba-3’s formation flying subsystem while its main coronagraph instrument comes from Belgium’s Centre Spatial de Liège, CSL.
Proba-3 is due to be launched via PSLV-XL launcher by the Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO. Follow the latest news from the Proba-3 team on the mission blog.
Credits: ESA - M. Pédoussaut / J. Versluys
Tags: ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Proba-3 Laser Test In The Clean Room
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Placing the Earth-observer Sentinel-1C onto its "vampire" payload launch adapter to connect the satellite to the Vega-C rocket that will launch it into a polar orbit, 19 November 2024 at Europe Spaceport's payload integration facility.
Earth-observer Sentinel-1C is set to launch on Vega-C rocket flight VV25. At 35 m tall, Vega-C weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad and reaches orbit with three solid-propellant-powered stages before the fourth liquid-propellant stage takes over for precise placement of Sentinel-1C into its orbit.
The payload adapter connects the satellite and the rocket launching it. The VAMPIRE backronym stands for Vega Adapter for Multiple Payload Injection and Release.
Visible to the right is a fairing half that will protect Sentinel-1C from the elements on the launch pad and during launch through our atmosphere.
Carrying advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface, the ambitious Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission has raised the bar for spaceborne radar.
The mission benefits numerous Copernicus services and applications such as those that relate to Arctic sea-ice monitoring, iceberg tracking, routine sea-ice mapping, glacier-velocity monitoring, surveillance of the marine environment including oil-spill monitoring and ship detection for maritime security as well as illegal fisheries monitoring.
Europe’s Vega-C rocket can launch 2300 kg into space, such as small scientific and Earth observation spacecraft. Vega-C is the evolution of the Vega family of rockets and delivers increased performance, greater payload volume and improved competitiveness.
Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique du vidéo du CSG–S. Martin
Tags: Pose PLA Campagne Satellite S5B EPCU S5 CSG Guyane VV25 Vega-C Campagne lancement CU1 Sentinel-1C Satellite Format paysage Landscape format Kourou Guyane Française - French Guyana ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Sentinel 1 Vega French Guiana Guiana Space Centre
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Placing the Earth-observer Sentinel-1C onto its "vampire" payload launch adapter to connect the satellite to the Vega-C rocket that will launch it into a polar orbit, 19 November 2024 at Europe Spaceport's payload integration facility.
Earth-observer Sentinel-1C is set to launch on Vega-C rocket flight VV25. At 35 m tall, Vega-C weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad and reaches orbit with three solid-propellant-powered stages before the fourth liquid-propellant stage takes over for precise placement of Sentinel-1C into its orbit.
The payload adapter connects the satellite and the rocket launching it. The VAMPIRE backronym stands for Vega Adapter for Multiple Payload Injection and Release.
In the background are the two fairing halves that will protect Sentinel-1C from the elements on the launch pad and during launch through our atmosphere.
Carrying advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface, the ambitious Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission has raised the bar for spaceborne radar.
The mission benefits numerous Copernicus services and applications such as those that relate to Arctic sea-ice monitoring, iceberg tracking, routine sea-ice mapping, glacier-velocity monitoring, surveillance of the marine environment including oil-spill monitoring and ship detection for maritime security as well as illegal fisheries monitoring.
Europe’s Vega-C rocket can launch 2300 kg into space, such as small scientific and Earth observation spacecraft. Vega-C is the evolution of the Vega family of rockets and delivers increased performance, greater payload volume and improved competitiveness.
Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique du vidéo du CSG–S. Martin
Tags: Pose PLA Campagne Satellite S5B EPCU S5 CSG Guyane VV25 Vega-C Campagne lancement CU1 Sentinel-1C Satellite Format portait Portrait format Kourou Guyane Française - French Guyana ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Sentinel 1 Vega French Guiana Guiana Space Centre
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