Two new mural-sized images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope will be on display at the LodeStar Astronomy Center through June 30, 2005. The stunning photographs of well-known spiral galaxy M51 (a.k.a. "Whirlpool Galaxy") and an eerie-looking tower of gas in the Eagle Nebula (a.k.a. "Pillars of Creation" ~ pictured) commemorate Hubble's 15 years of viewing the heavens.
The highly detailed, large-format images were unveiled to the public recently in conjunction with the 15th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The image M51 reveals striking details of how clusters of stars are born in the galaxy's long, curving spiral arms. The Eagle Nebula image shows a gaseous landscape sculpted by ultraviolet light from a group of massive, hot, young stars. These views are among the largest and sharpest images ever taken by the Hubble Telescope.
The LodeStar Astronomy Center is located in the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science at 1801 Mountain Rd., NW, in Old Town. LodeStar is a UNM community outreach project operating in partnership with the Museum of Natural History and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
For more information call (505) 841-5955 or visit: LodeStar Astronomy Center.
Posted by scarr at April 27, 2005 12:16 PM