Corona of the Sun during a Solar Eclipse
by Smithsonian Institution

Description: In 1900 the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, then based in Washington, D.C., loaded several railroad cars with scientific equipment and headed to Wadesboro, North Carolina. Scientists had determined that this small town would be the best location in North America for viewing an expected total solar eclipse, and the Smithsonian Solar Eclipse Expedition hoped to capture photographic proof of the solar corona during the event for further study. The team included Smithsonia . . .

Untitled
by Smithsonian Institution

Description: Thomas Smillie was the Smithsonian's first photographer and curator of photography, beginning his career at the institution in the 1870s. In 1913 he mounted an exhibition on the history of photography in the Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building, showcasing many of the remarkable advancements made in the field that he feared had already been forgotten or disregarded. Creator/Photographer: Thomas Smillie Birth Date: 1843 Death Date: 1917 Born in Edinburgh, Scotla . . .

Abell 2125: Chandra Catches Early Phase of Cosmic Assembly (A massive galaxy cluster about 3 billion light years from Earth.)
by Smithsonian Institution

Description: Chandra's image reveals a complex of several multimillion degree Celsius gas clouds in the process of merging to form a massive galaxy cluster. A few of the point-like sources in the image are associated with galaxies in the cluster, but the rest are probably distant background galaxies, many of which contain active supermassive black holes. The bright gas cloud on the upper left is the core of the cluster and envelops hundreds of galaxies. The large cloud on the lower right . . .

E0102-72.3: Supernova Portrait Gallery
by Smithsonian Institution

Description: E0102-72 is a supernova remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. Located in the constellation Tucana, this galaxy is 190,000 light years from Earth. The remnant is approximately a thousand years old. Stretching across forty light years of space, the expanding multimillion degree shell of gas resembles a flaming cosmic wheel. Creator/Photographer: Chandra X-ray Observatory NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which was launched and depl . . .

Mz 3, BD+30-3639, Hen 3-1475, and NGC 7027: Planetary Nebulas - Fast Winds from Dying Stars
by Smithsonian Institution

Description: A bubble of 3 million degree Celsius gas with a length about a hundred times that of our solar system is shown in the image. NGC 7027 is the remains of a Sun-like star that has ejected much of its mass to expose its hot core. The X-rays are thought to be produced when a "fast" wind from the hot core collides with the "slow" wind that was ejected earlier during the star's red giant phase. This collision heats the matter to several million degrees so that i . . .

Solar MS-1
by San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives

Catalog #: 00071144 Manufacturer: Solar Designation: MS-1