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After Hours

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

By nicolebremernash May 23, 2011, 12:14 PM PDT

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Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

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

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

ntFor 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.

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope

Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope

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

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ntImage credit: Fermilab Visual Media Services

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Redshift z Galaxy Map Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Redshift z Galaxy Map Sloan Digital Sky Survey

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Field of Streams, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Field of Streams, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

ntStars in the outer regions of the Milky Way.

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

M78 Nebula, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

M78 Nebula, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

UGC 03214, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

UGC 03214, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Orion Nebula, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Orion Nebula, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

ntThe Orion Nebula is just below Orion’s Belt on the Orion constellation.

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Leo A, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Leo A, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Messier 34, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Messier 34, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

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

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

ntSeyfert’s Sextet is a group of galaxies in the Serpens constellation.

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

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

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

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

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

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

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

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

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

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

ntFirst light in a small part of the Serpens constellation.

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

NGC 6070, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

NGC 6070, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

ntThe galaxy NGC 6070 in the Serpens constellation.

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nt 

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Palomar 5, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Palomar 5, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

ntPalomar 5 is a star cluster orbiting the Milky Way.

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

Redshift 5 quasar, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Redshift 5 quasar, image from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

ntThe tiny red light dot is a superliminous object.

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

Sloan Digital Sky Survey maps the universe

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

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

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

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

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

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By nicolebremernash
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
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