After Hours

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

By // May 26, 2011, 11:24 PM PST // HuTerra

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  • Whirlpool Galaxy (M51 SDSS), image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    For over more than eight years, the astronomers at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) have worked tirelessly to map more than the night skies; from stars to entire galaxies, the SDSS compiles multi-colored images of deep space. To date, the SDSS has mapped more than a quarter of the sky.

    Known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, M551 accounts for about three one-millionths of the sky area mapped by the SDSS.

    Image courtesy The SDSS Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope

    The impressive SDSS telescope in the Sacramento, CA mountains. The telescope is 2.5 meters in diameter.

    Image credit: Fermilab Visual Media Services

  • Redshift z Galaxy Map Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    A slice through the SDSS sky map, with Earth in the center.

    Image courtesy M. Blanton and The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Field of Streams, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Stars in the outer regions of the Milky Way.

    Image courtesy V. Belokurov and The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • M78 Nebula, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    The M78 Nebula, a star-forming region with dust clouds limiting the light from the young stars illuminating the Orion constellation.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • UGC 03214, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Spiral galaxy UGC 03214 is receding from Earth. It is in the Orion constellation.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Orion Nebula, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    The Orion Nebula is just below Orion's Belt on the Orion constellation.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Leo A, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Leo A is a dwarf irregular galaxy neighboring the Milky Way.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Messier 34, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    The purple and blue stars in open cluster Messier 34 are hotter than the Sun.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digitla Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Seyfert's Sextet, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Seyfert's Sextet is a group of galaxies in the Serpens constellation.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Planetary nebula G164.8+31.1, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Planetary nebula G164.8+31.1 illustrates the final phase of the evoluation of Sun-like stars.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • NGC 3788 and NGC 3786, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Spiral galaxies NGC 3788 (top) and NGC 3786 (bottom) are interacting gravitationally in the constellation Ursa Major.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • First Light in Serpens constellation, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    First light in a small part of the Serpens constellation.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • NGC 6070, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    The galaxy NGC 6070 in the Serpens constellation.

     

    Image courtesy The SDSS Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Palomar 5, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Palomar 5 is a star cluster orbiting the Milky Way.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Redshift 5 quasar, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    The tiny red light dot is a superliminous object.

    Image courtesy The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

  • Spiral Galaxy NGC 1087, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    Spiral galaxy NGC 1087's most interesting feature is a bright group of stars rotating in the center.

    For more details, read about some highlights of the discoveries made by the SDSS.

    Image courtesy The SDSS Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

Whirlpool Galaxy (M51 SDSS), image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

For over more than eight years, the astronomers at the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) have worked tirelessly to map more than the night skies; from stars to entire galaxies, the SDSS compiles multi-colored images of deep space. To date, the SDSS has mapped more than a quarter of the sky.

Known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, M551 accounts for about three one-millionths of the sky area mapped by the SDSS.

Image courtesy The SDSS Collaboration, http://www.sdss.org

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By Nicole Nash

Nicole Bremer Nash is Director of Content and Social Media for HuTerra, where she uses SEO and social media to promote charitable organizations in their community-building and fundraising efforts. She enjoys volunteering, arts and crafts, and conduct...