Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Magellanic Stream

NASA ^ | August 15, 2013 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: In an astronomical version of the search for the source of the Nile, astronomers now have strong evidence for the origin of the Magellanic Stream. This composite image shows the long ribbon of gas, discovered at radio wavelengths in the 1970s, in pinkish hues against an optical all-sky view across the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. Both Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, dwarf satellite galaxies of the the Milky Way, are seen near the head of the stream at the right. Data from Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph were used to explore abundances of elements along sightlines to quasars that intersect the stream. The results indicate that most of the stream's material comes from the Small Magellanic Cloud. The Magellanic Stream is likely the result of gravitational tidal interactions between the two dwarf galaxies some 2 billion years ago, the Small Magellanic Cloud losing more material in the encounter because of its lower mass.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: Science -- NASA, ESA, A. Fox, P. Richter et al.; Image -- D. Nidever et al., NRAO/AUI/NSF, A. Mellinger, LAB Survey, Parkes, Westerbork, and Arecibo Obs.]

[SunkenCiv]

The Big One

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[Hot Tabasco]

Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Nova Delphini 2013

Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Magellanic Stream

Alright, which is the REAL PICTURE OF THE DAY?

[left that other site]

The Pink Slime escapes from its secret facility and devours the earth!

Aarrrrggghhhh!!!!!!!!!!

[null and void]

Darksheare!

[Darksheare]

Beware of The Blob, it creeps
And leaps and glides and slides
Across the floor
Right through the door
And all around the wall
A splotch, a blotch
Be careful of The Blob

[left that other site]

LOL!

[Darksheare]

Well, now we know what they did with it after the movie..

[left that other site]

They sold it to McD’s to mix in with the hamburgers! :-)

[Darksheare]

That actually explains quite a bit.

[left that other site]

The FR Search For truth continues onward, unabated! :-)

[Darksheare]

Truth, and Coffee What Doesn’t Kill Ya.

[Ole Okie]

Bookmark.

[Ole Okie]

Bookmark.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks null and void for this link! Hubble Finds Source of Magellanic Stream