A globular star cluster (in English – globular cluster) is a cluster large number stars that are quite closely bound together by gravity, usually orbiting the galactic center as a satellite.
Hundreds of globular clusters of varying sizes and masses have now been discovered in our Milky Way galaxy. Some are clearly visible in the sky with the naked eye, while telescopes of varying optical powers are needed to observe others.
Let's try to compile the top 10 most beautiful globular clusters in the Milky Way. It’s clear that our opinion will be purely subjective, because there is no friend for taste and color, but we will still express our point of view. So, let's begin …
M 80 (constellation Scorpius)
M 80 (also referred to as Messier 80 and NGC 6093, the Russian version is Messier 80) is a fairly large globular cluster discovered and cataloged by the French astronomer in 1781, Charles Messier. M 80 can be observed using a medium amateur telescope in the gap between the stars α Scorpii (Antares) and β Scorpii (Acrab). Visually, this cluster is a beautiful motley ball of light. The distance of the M 80 cluster from Earth is about 32,600 light years.
M 13 (constellation Hercules)
M 13 (also referred to as Messier 13 and NGC 6205, the Russian version is Messier 13) is one of the most famous and fairly well studied globular star clusters, which can be observed in the Northern Hemisphere in the direction of the constellation Hercules even with the naked eye. It was discovered back in 1714 by Edmond Halley. Scientists estimate that the diameter of M 13 exceeds 165 light years. This cluster consists of several hundred thousand stars of various sizes, and its distance from our planet is about 25,000 light years.
Terzan 5 (English version - Terzan 5) is a unique globular cluster, mainly consisting of early stars of the Milky Way. It is located in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius and the galactic center at a distance of 19,000 light years from Earth. It can be seen even with the most primitive telescope or binoculars. Visually, the cluster is a dense, bright ball with a tint of color as it moves away from the center.
Omega Centauri (constellation Centaurus)
Omega Centauri (ω Centauri or NGC 5139) is the largest globular star cluster in our Galaxy, which was observed by Ptolemy 2000 years ago as one star ω Centauri (hence the name, which is atypical for clusters). It is believed that the first person to more or less study it was Edmond Halley in 1677, classifying it as a nebula. Omega Centauri contains several million stars. The center of the cluster is so dense that the distance between them is no more than 0.1 light years. Scientists estimate the age of ω Centauri to be 12 billion years old and believe that it may be part of a dwarf galaxy that was absorbed by the Milky Way. In addition, calculations by astrophysicists indicate that there is most likely a medium-mass black hole in the center of the cluster. The cluster is clearly visible to the naked eye in the direction of the constellation Centaurus, representing optically bright star. Its distance from Earth is approximately 18,300 light years.
M 22 (Sagittarius constellation)
M 22 (also referred to as Messier 22 and NGC 6656, the Russian version is Messier 22) is one of the closest globular clusters to Earth, which was discovered in 1665 by Abraham Ile and cataloged by Charles Messier in 1764. The M 22 cluster is located near the bulge of the Milky Way, projected onto it, it is assumed that there are two medium-mass black holes inside it, so the cluster has a somewhat elongated shape. The cluster can be observed even with the naked eye in the constellation Sagittarius. Its distance from our planet is approximately 10,400 light years.
M 5 (constellation Serpens)
M 5 (also referred to as Messier 5 and NGC 5904, the Russian version is Messier 5) is the most massive globular star cluster in the vicinity of our galaxy, having a mass of 2 million solar masses in an occupied volume with a diameter of 160 light years. At the same time, M 5 is the most “ancient” cluster in our Galaxy with an age of 13 billion years. This cluster was discovered in 1702 by Gottfried Kirch. It can be perfectly seen through a simple telescope or binoculars in the direction of the constellation Serpens; visually it looks like a regular ball with a uniform spread of brightness from the center to its borders. The M5 cluster is 24,500 light years away from Earth.
47 Tucana (constellation Tucana)
47 Tucanae (also referred to as NGC 104, GCL 1 and ESO 50-SC9) is the second brightest globular star cluster after ω Centauri. This cluster can be observed unaided in the Southern Hemisphere in the direction of the constellation Tucana. Despite the fact that the cluster is clearly visible, it became known to science only in 1751 thanks to Nicolas Louis de Lacailleme, who observed it at the Cape of Good Hope. Astronomers suggest that in the center of the cluster there is a medium-mass black hole, which determines the overall gravitational center of the cluster. It is also interesting that 47 Tucana is approaching the Earth at a speed of 19 kilometers per second. The distance from our planet to the cluster is approximately 13,400 light years.
M 3 (constellation Canes Venatici)
M 3 (also referred to as Messier 3 and NGC 5272, the Russian version is Messier 3) is one of the largest and brightest globular clusters in the constellation Canes Venatici, discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. This cluster can be observed with binoculars even in the late afternoon or predawn sky of the Northern Hemisphere between the stars α Canis Venatici and α Bootes (Arcturus). The cluster contains about 500 thousand stars of various sizes and is located at a distance of 33,900 light years from Earth.
M 15 (constellation Pegasus)
M 15 (also referred to as Messier 15 and NGC 7078, the Russian version is Messier 15) is one of the densest globular star clusters in the Milky Way, discovered in 1746 by Jean Dominique Maraldi. It contains about 100,000 stars and is about 360,000 times brighter than the Sun. The cluster is clearly visible through binoculars in autumn in the night sky between the stars θ and ε Pegasus. Its distance from Earth is about 33,600 light years.
M 10 (constellation Ophiuchus)
M 10 (also referred to as Messier 10 and NGC 6254, the Russian version is Messier 10) is a globular star cluster in the constellation Ophiuchus, discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. It can be clearly observed on summer nights in the Northern Hemisphere using binoculars or a telescope. M 10 is 14,300 light years away from Earth.
Almost all of us have heard about the Hubble telescope. It may be less than 2.5 meters in size, but for 23 years it has provided us with not only detailed scientific understanding of the processes taking place in the universe, but also some of the most incredible photographs ever taken. Below are some of the most stunning photos sent by Hubble.
10. Quadruple eclipse
Saturn with its four moons: Enceladus, Dione, Titan and Mimas.
This photo was taken in 2009. It clearly shows the four moons of Saturn. From left to right, two small moons, Enceladus and Dione, can be seen casting two black shadows on Saturn's surface. The larger moon is Titan, which is about twice the size of our moon. Well, at the very edge of the planet you can see the icy Mimas.
9. Cloud of stars in the constellation Sagittarius
The Hubble Telescope reveals some of the... oldest stars in the galaxy.
The Hubble Telescope has peered into a small, dust-free corner of space, allowing us to see some of the oldest stars in the Milky Way. This will allow scientists to learn more about the birth and growth of the galaxy.
8. Messier 104 (Messier 104) or Sombrero Galaxy
The Sombrero Galaxy is one of the largest objects in the Virgo cluster.
Jokingly called the “Sombrero Galaxy,” Messier 104 can be found in the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. It is 28 million light years from Earth, and crossing it would take 50,000 light years. It is one of the largest objects in the Virgo cluster, with a brightness equivalent to that of 800 billion suns. Some believe that there is a huge black hole at its center, and that the cluster is moving away from us at a speed of 1,126.5 kilometers per second.
7. NGC 6302 or the Butterfly Nebula
The “wings” of this beautiful nebula were formed from a gas explosion.
Cutely named NGC 6302, the nebula is located in our Milky Way. It appeared after the death of a star five times the size of our sun. The gas explosion temperature was 19982°C, and expansion occurred at a speed of 965606 kilometers per hour. This photo was taken with a wide-angle camera in 2009.
6. Giant Twist
The Giant Vortex is twice the size of the Milky Way and contains more than a trillion stars.
This galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major is located approximately 21 million light years from Earth, and in order to fly around it it would take 170,000 light years. This is twice the size of the Milky Way. It is estimated that there are more than a trillion stars in this galaxy, 100 billion of which are similar to our Sun.
5. Lagoon Nebula
The Lagoon Nebula is one of only two nebulae that can be seen with the naked eye.
The nebula is located 4000-6000 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius and is one of two nebulae visible to the naked eye in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. However naked eye will not be able to discern even part of what is shown in this photograph. In the photo you can see “waves” of gas and dust that give the nebula a yellowish tint.
4. R136
Star cluster R136 is home to some of the largest blue stars in the Universe.
This is one of the most detailed photographs taken using the Hubble telescope. R136 is a relatively young star cluster and contains some of the largest blue stars, some 100 times larger than the Sun. The photo was taken in 2009 and depicts a distance of 100 light years.
3. Omega Centauri
Omega Centauri is a dense star cluster 17,000 light years from Earth.
This photograph, taken in 2002, shows one of the largest spherical star clusters, belonging to the Milky Way - Omega Centauri. The cluster is located 17,000 light years from Earth. It contains about 10 million stars, 2 million of which can be seen in the photograph.
2. Star Spire
The Star Spire is a massive tower of cold gas and dust, 90 trillion kilometers high.
The spire is about 9.5 light years in height and is located in the Eagle Nebula. It may contain newborn stars: some stars form when gas is compressed by gravity, while others may form from intense thermal radiation from nearby stars.
1. Milky Way
Thanks to two large space telescopes, we have obtained the most detailed photograph of the galactic center yet.
Considering how many times the Milky Way has been mentioned elsewhere, the list must end with a photograph of it. In the picture you can see the center of our galaxy. The photo was obtained from a combination of images from Hubble's NICMOS (Near-Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectroscope) camera and color photographs taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope. The photograph shows a distance of 300 light years, the center of the galaxy is 20,000 light years away.
Incredible facts
The world's largest photo
The largest photo on this moment- This 320 gigapixel panorama of London, which was compiled from 48,640 individual images. All images were shot with four Canon EOS 7D cameras and combined to create this 360-degree creation. If this was a physical photograph, it would be the size of Buckingham Palace. It's worth noting that the photo was taken from the roof of BT Tower.
The largest ship in the world
Most big ship, P larger than the Empire State Building, was launched in South Korea. The Prelude is 488 meters long and 74 meters wide. When fully loaded, the ship weighs about 600,000 tons.
The largest airliner
Together with her twin brother, the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is currently the largest passenger ship on the planet. Its length is 360 meters, and its twin brother Allure of the Seas is only 5 cm longer.
The largest lake in the world
The Caspian Sea is the largest lake on our planet. It is located at the junction of Europe and Asia. Today the area of the Caspian Sea is about 371,000 square meters.
The largest river
In terms of the size of the basin, as well as the depth and length of the river system, the Amazon is the largest river on Earth. The river has a length of 6992.06 km. In 2011, the Amazon was recognized as a natural wonder of the world.
The largest plane in the world
At the moment, the An-225 Mriya is rightfully considered the largest aircraft. This transport jet aircraft was developed by the Design Bureau named after. O. K. Antonova. It was designed and built in the USSR at the Kiev Mechanical Plant between 1984 and 1988. Today, only one copy flies, which is in operation by Antonov Airlines.
The largest machine in the world (the largest excavator)
The Bagger 288 excavator was built in 1978 by the German company Krupp for the Rheinbraun company. The vehicle is larger than NASA's crawler transporter, which is used to transport the shuttle and Apollo rockets to the launch pad. Bagger 288 is used for mining and digging large trenches. Every day it is capable of extracting 230 tons of coal.
The biggest ball
In 2002, a team of NASA engineers developed the world's largest hot air balloon, with a volume of 1.7 million cubic meters. m. The entire structure weighs 690 kilograms. It was launched as part of the LEE (Low Energy Electrons) program, and the ball was able to rise to a height of 49 kilometers. Research has shown that this balloon can be used to deliver equipment to record heights.
The largest book in the world
The largest book measures 5m x 8.06m and weighs approximately 1,500kg. It contains 429 pages and was created by Mshahed International Group, in Dubai, UAE on February 27, 2012. More than 50 people participated in the creation of the book, which was called "This is Muhammad".
Biggest screen
Most big screen on Earth can be seen in Kazan. Large plasma panels were installed at the Kazan Arena stadium, and the total screen area is 3,622 square meters.
The biggest store
The Shinsegae department store was included in the Guinness Book of Records in the category "Largest Store in the World". It was built in Busan, South Korea. It is worth noting that Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and the largest seaport on Earth. Shinsegae Department Store covers an area of 293,905 square meters. The opening took place in 2009 - it was then that the store broke the record of 100,000 square meters, previously held by Macy's department store in New York.
The largest stadium
At the moment, of the huge number of stadiums built for various sporting events, the May Day Stadium in Pyongyang (DPRK) is in the lead. This stadium can accommodate 150,000 spectators. It was built back in 1989 to host the XIII Festival of Youth and Students. It is worth noting the design feature of this stadium - 16 arches that form a ring. Thanks to these arches, the shape of the stadium resembles a magnolia flower. Despite the fact that the DPRK national football team plays at this stadium, it is mainly used for the massive Arirang festival.
The largest water park
Tropical Islands is the largest water park. It is located in Halbe in Brandenburg, Germany. Previously, the water park building was used as a hangar for airships. It is also worth noting that this building is the largest self-supporting hall in the world. The complex can accommodate up to 6,000 people per day. It employs about 500 people.
The largest aquarium
In Singapore you can visit the Marine Life Park. Built on Sentosa Island, this aquarium is the largest in the world. The opening took place on November 22, 2012. The park consists of 2 parts: the S.E.A Aquarium and the Adventure Cove Waterpark. In the first, you can see more than 100,000 marine animals of 800 species living in a large aquarium filled with 45,000,000 liters of sea water.
The largest museum
One can argue for a long time which museum is the largest, but most opinions agree on the Louvre Museum (Musee du Louvre), which was visited by 9,720,260 people in 2012. Its area is 160,106 square meters. On an area of 58,470 sq. meters are the expositions.
The largest library
The Library of Congress is the largest in the world. This US national library is located in Washington DC and is scientific library United States Congress. It is used by representatives of government agencies, research institutions, scientists, private firms, as well as industrial companies and schools.
Largest airport
The Guinness Book of Records notes that in terms of area the largest airport in the world is King Fahd International Airport (KFIA). It is located 25 kilometers from the city of Dammam ( Saudi Arabia). Its area is 780 square km.
In terms of passenger traffic and takeoffs, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is currently the busiest airport on Earth. It has several names: Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson and it is located 11 km from the central business district of Atlanta, in the state of Georgia, USA.
Largest tomb
The tomb of the 16th Emperor of Japan, Nintoku (or O-sazaki), is one of the three largest tombs in the world, along with pyramid of Cheops andwith the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi, the ruler of the kingdom of Qin (from 246 BC), who stopped the centuries-oldera of the Warring States. The Tomb of the Japanese Emperor is located in Sakai near Osaka and is the largest kofun in Japan (kofun is an ancient burial mound in the land of the rising sun). The tomb is 1,600 years old and looks like a keyhole when viewed from above. It occupies an area of 464,124 square meters.
Largest building
The Boeing 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliner are some of the largest airliners in the world, and they are assembled at the Boeing Everett Factory, near Everett, Washington. The plant has a volume of more than 13 million cubic meters and an area of almost 400,000 square meters, making the Boeing Everett Factory the largest building in the world.
Today, on Cosmonautics Day, we will enjoy images from the Hubble orbital telescope, which has been in orbit of our planet for more than twenty years and continues to reveal to us the secrets of space to this day.
NGC 5194
Known as NGC 5194, this large galaxy with a well-developed spiral structure may have been the first spiral nebula discovered. It is clearly visible that its spiral arms and dust lanes pass in front of its satellite galaxy - NGC 5195 (left). The pair are located about 31 million light years away and officially belong to the small constellation Canes Venatici.
Spiral galaxy M33- a medium-sized galaxy from the Local Group. M33 is also called the Triangulum galaxy after the constellation in which it is located. About 4 times smaller (in radius) than our Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), M33 is much larger than many dwarf galaxies. Because M33 is close to M31, some think it is a satellite of this more massive galaxy. M33 is near the Milky Way, its angular dimensions are more than twice that of full moon, i.e. it is perfectly visible with good binoculars.
Stefan Quintet
The group of galaxies is Stefan's Quintet. However, only four galaxies in the group, located three hundred million light years away, participate in the cosmic dance, moving closer and further away from each other. It's quite easy to find extra ones. The four interacting galaxies - NGC 7319, NGC 7318A, NGC 7318B and NGC 7317 - have a yellowish color and curved loops and tails, the shape of which is due to the influence of destructive tidal forces. gravitational forces. The bluish galaxy NGC 7320, located in the image at the top left, is much closer than the others, only 40 million light years away.
Andromeda Galaxy- This is the closest giant galaxy to our Milky Way. Most likely, our Galaxy looks about the same as the Andromeda Galaxy. These two galaxies dominate the Local Group of galaxies. The hundreds of billions of stars that make up the Andromeda Galaxy together produce a visible, diffuse glow. The individual stars in the image are actually stars in our Galaxy, located much closer to the distant object. The Andromeda Galaxy is often called M31 because it is the 31st object in Charles Messier's catalog of diffuse celestial objects.
Lagoon Nebula
The bright Lagoon Nebula contains many different astronomical objects. Particularly interesting objects include a bright open star cluster and several active star forming regions. When viewed visually, the light from the cluster is lost against the background of the overall red glow caused by hydrogen emission, while the dark filaments arise due to the absorption of light dense layers dust.
The Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543) is one of the most famous planetary nebulae in the sky. Its haunting, symmetrical shape is visible in the central portion of this dramatic false-color image, specially processed to reveal a huge but very faint halo of gaseous material, some three light-years in diameter, that surrounds the bright, familiar planetary nebula.
The small constellation Chameleon is located near the south pole of the World. The picture reveals the amazing features of the modest constellation, which reveals many dusty nebulae and colorful stars. Blue reflection nebulae are scattered across the field.
Cosmic dust clouds glowing faintly with reflected starlight. Far from familiar places on planet Earth, they lurk on the edge of the Cephei Halo molecular cloud complex, 1,200 light-years away. Nebula Sh2-136, located near the center of the field, is brighter than other ghostly apparitions. Its size is more than two light years, and it is visible even in infrared light
The dark, dusty Horsehead Nebula and the glowing Orion Nebula contrast in the sky. They are located at a distance of 1500 light years from us in the direction of the most recognizable celestial constellation. And in today's remarkable composite photograph, the nebulae occupy opposite corners. The familiar Horsehead Nebula is a small, dark cloud in the shape of a horse's head, silhouetted against a background of red glowing gas in the lower left corner of the picture.
Crab Nebula
This confusion remained after the star exploded. The Crab Nebula is the result of a supernova explosion observed in 1054 AD. The supernova remnant is filled with mysterious filaments. The filaments are not just complex to look at. The extent of the Crab Nebula is ten light years. At the very center of the nebula is a pulsar, a neutron star with a mass equal to the mass of the Sun, which fits into an area the size of a small town.
This is a mirage from a gravitational lens. The bright red galaxy (LRG) shown in this photograph has been distorted by its gravity to the light from a more distant blue galaxy. Most often, such a distortion of light leads to the appearance of two images of a distant galaxy, but in the case of a very precise superposition of the galaxy and the gravitational lens, the images merge into a horseshoe - an almost closed ring. This effect was predicted by Albert Einstein 70 years ago.
Star V838 Mon
For unknown reasons, in January 2002, the outer shell of the star V838 Mon suddenly expanded, making it the brightest star in the entire Milky Way. Then she became weak again, also suddenly. Astronomers have never seen a stellar flare like this before.
Birth of planets
How are planets formed? To try to find out, the Hubble Space Telescope was tasked with taking a closer look at one of the most interesting of all nebulae in the sky - the Great Orion Nebula. The Orion Nebula can be seen with the naked eye near the belt of the constellation Orion. The insets in this photo show numerous proplyds, many of them stellar nurseries that likely house forming planetary systems.
Star cluster R136
At the center of the star-forming region 30 Doradus lies a gigantic cluster of the largest, hottest, and most massive stars known to us. These stars form the cluster R136, captured in this image taken in visible light already on the upgraded Hubble Space Telescope.
Brilliant NGC 253 is one of the brightest spiral galaxies we see, yet one of the dustiest. Some call it the "Silver Dollar Galaxy" because it is shaped like that in a small telescope. Others simply call it the "Sculptor Galaxy" because it lies within the southern constellation Sculptor. This dusty galaxy is 10 million light years away
Galaxy M83
Galaxy M83 is one of the closest spiral galaxies to us. From the distance that separates us from her, equal to 15 million light years, she looks completely ordinary. However, if we take a closer look at the center of M83 using the largest telescopes, the region appears to be a turbulent and noisy place.
Ring Nebula
She really looks like a ring in the sky. Therefore, hundreds of years ago, astronomers named this nebula according to its unusual shape. The Ring Nebula is also designated M57 and NGC 6720. The Ring Nebula belongs to the class of planetary nebulae; these are gas clouds that emit stars similar to the Sun at the end of their lives. Its size exceeds the diameter. This is one of Hubble's early images.
Column and jets in the Carina Nebula
This cosmic column of gas and dust is two light years wide. The structure is located in one of the largest star-forming regions of our Galaxy, the Carina Nebula, which is visible in the southern sky and is 7,500 light-years away.
Center of the Omega Centauri globular cluster
At the center of the globular cluster Omega Centauri, the stars are packed ten thousand times more densely than the stars in the vicinity of the Sun. The image shows many faint yellow-white stars smaller than our Sun, several orange red giants, and the occasional blue star. If two stars suddenly collide, they can form one more massive star, or they can form a new binary system.
A giant cluster distorts and splits the image of the galaxy
Many of them are images of a single unusual, beady, blue ring-shaped galaxy that happens to be located behind a giant cluster of galaxies. According to recent research, in total, at least 330 images of individual distant galaxies can be found in the picture. This stunning photograph of the galaxy cluster CL0024+1654 was taken by the NASA Space Telescope. Hubble in November 2004.
Trifid Nebula
The beautiful, multi-colored Trifid Nebula allows you to explore cosmic contrasts. Also known as M20, it lies about 5,000 light-years away in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius. The size of the nebula is about 40 light years.
Centaurus A
A fantastic pile of young blue star clusters, giant glowing gas clouds and dark dust lanes surround the central region active galaxy Centaurus A. Centaurus A is close to Earth, at a distance of 10 million light years
Butterfly Nebula
Bright clusters and nebulae in Earth's night sky are often named after flowers or insects, and NGC 6302 is no exception. The central star of this planetary nebula is exceptionally hot: its surface temperature is about 250 thousand degrees Celsius.
An image of a supernova that exploded in 1994 on the outskirts of a spiral galaxy.
This remarkable cosmic portrait shows two colliding galaxies with merging spiral arms. Above and to the left of the large spiral galaxy pair NGC 6050 can be seen a third galaxy that is also likely involved in the interaction. All of these galaxies are located about 450 million light-years away in the Hercules cluster of galaxies. At this distance, the image covers an area of more than 150 thousand light years. And although this appearance seems quite unusual, scientists now know that collisions and subsequent mergers of galaxies are not uncommon.
Spiral galaxy NGC 3521 lies just 35 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Leo. The galaxy, which extends over 50,000 light years, has features such as ragged spiral arms irregular shape, decorated with dust, pinkish star-forming regions and clusters of young bluish stars.
Although this unusual emission was first noticed in the early twentieth century, its origin is still the subject of debate. The image shown above, taken in 1998 by the Hubble Space Telescope, clearly shows details of the jet's structure. The most popular hypothesis suggests that the source of the ejection was heated gas orbiting a massive black hole at the center of the galaxy.
Galaxy Sombrero
Galaxy M104's appearance resembles a hat, which is why it is called the Sombrero Galaxy. The image shows distinct dark lanes of dust and a bright halo of stars and globular clusters. The reasons why the Sombrero Galaxy looks like a hat are the unusually large central stellar bulge and the dense dark lanes of dust located in the galaxy's disk, which we see almost edge-on.
M17: close-up view
Formed by stellar winds and radiation, these fantastic wave-like formations are found in the M17 (Omega Nebula) nebula and are part of a star-forming region. The Omega Nebula is located in the nebula-rich constellation Sagittarius and is 5,500 light-years away. The patchy clumps of dense, cold gas and dust are illuminated by radiation from the stars in the image at top right and could become sites of star formation in the future.
What does the IRAS 05437+2502 nebula illuminate? There is no exact answer yet. Particularly puzzling is the bright, inverted V-shaped arc that outlines the top edge of the mountain-like clouds of interstellar dust near the center of the image. Overall, this ghost-like nebula includes a small star-forming region filled with dark dust. It was first spotted in infrared images taken by the IRAS satellite in 1983. Shown here is a remarkable, recently released image from the Hubble Space Telescope. Although it shows many new details, the cause of the bright, clear arc could not be determined.
A hot air balloon is a common attribute of holidays and festivals. Some extreme sports fans create amazing structures and rise tens of kilometers into the sky. Products made of latex, rubber or foil differ in shape, size, and purpose.
The largest balloon in the world was inflated in 2002 by engineers from NASA. The volume of the structure was 1.7 million cubic meters and weighed 690 kilograms. The balloon was launched for research purposes as part of the LEE program. He was able to climb 49 kilometers upward.
First flight
There are many significant dates in the history of aeronautics. The most significant day is November 21st. On this day in 1783, two brave Frenchmen took to the air for the first time in a hot air balloon. The balloon with its crew (the Marquis d'Arlandes, as well as Pilatre de Rozier) rose 915 meters and covered a distance of 9 kilometers in 25 minutes.
The idea of creating a hot air balloon belongs to the Montgolfier brothers. The men decided to create an amazing vehicle capable of covering enormous distances after studying the works of chemists, physicists and conducting special research. The discovery of hydrogen in 1766 prompted the brothers to take confident action. They did experiments by filling paper bags with hot air. The structures rose a couple of meters, which was a colossal breakthrough. Balloons made of silk and linen were launched trially. The research brothers changed the composition of the burning mixtures, the size and shape of the spheres.
Constantly testing the balloons, the Montgolfier brothers created an amazing aerial sphere weighing 450 kilograms and with a volume of 1000 cubic meters. At Versailles, experimenters launched a sphere into the air for the first time, placing a rooster, a goose and a sheep in a wicker basket. The ball flew for 8 minutes. Having reached a height of 500 meters, the dome material tore. The sphere sank to the ground gradually, which saved the lives of the animals.
The successful demonstration inspired the brothers. They set about creating the largest ball that could lift two people. The new sphere turned out to be 13 meters in diameter, with a volume of 2000 cubic meters and a weight of 500 kilograms. The design was decorated with zodiac signs, flowers, and a portrait of the king. The debut launch took place in the west of Paris. Scientific discovery blew up France.
Around the world on Breitling Orbiter 3
The first ever continuous flight around the world by balloon was completed in 1999. The pilots of the airship are Brian Jones from America and Bertrand Piccard from Switzerland. They managed to fly 46 thousand and 759 kilometers in 20 days. The travelers had to start in Switzerland, and not in Africa, as planned.
The sponsor wanted the Breitling Orbiter 3 to fly up from the territory of his state to create advertising for the watch business. This moment complicated the start of the flight. Aeronautics experts say lifting the ship in Africa is necessary to ease the jet stream's mood. The crew of Breitling Orbiter 3 had to catch the wind that carried the balloon to Africa.
The flight of a silver ball the size of a twenty-story building was controlled by meteorologists from the center in Geneva. Office workers collected information about the weather, winds, predicted the possible occurrence of precipitation, etc. The data was transmitted to Breitling Orbiter - 3 via satellite phone with instructions and recommendations regarding the height at which it is better to stay to catch air currents.
The Breitling Orbiter 3 crew cabin is 5.5 meters long, 3 meters wide. Two people could easily fit here. The pilots took turns sleeping. We ate fruits and vegetables for the first half of the flight, then semi-finished products, flour products, and powdered cereals. The signal from the radio center that the circle had closed sounded on March 20. The flight path of the aircraft encircled the Earth. The crew landed in the west of Cairo near the village of Mut.
Balloon festivals
Every ballooning enthusiast dreams of soaring through the sky in a balloon. Every year, hundreds of festivals are held around the world, the main feature of which is the release of balloons into the sky, varying in weight, shape, and volume. Fans of extreme sports have the opportunity to take rare photographs, enjoy amazing landscapes, and see familiar places from a bird's eye view.
The most famous festivals balloons take place in the following cities and countries:
- USA, Albuquerque. The festival lasts 9 days and takes place in early October. The event is considered the largest in the world, with 750 balloons participating annually.
- Türkiye, Cappadocia. Hundreds of people come to admire the beauty of the area. Thanks to its amazing geological formations, the city of Cappadocia is considered a beautiful place. The main event of the holiday is the competition of pilots for the title of the most skillful.
- Switzerland, Chateau d'O. The international festival takes place in late January every year. The mystery and magic of the holiday is given by the night glow of air spheres against the backdrop of the Alpine mountains.
- Malaysia, Putrajaya. Young little festival. Has been running since 2010.
- UK, Bristol. The celebration takes place annually in August.
- Canada, Quebec. The festival coincides with Labor Day in Canada and takes place on the first Monday of September. Gathers 200 thousand visitors.
- Taiwan, Taitung. The festival is considered the most beautiful due to the magnificent mountain scenery. The event has been held since 2011.
- Ukraine, Kamenets-Podolsky. The launch of huge balloons takes place annually on the city's day.
- Russia, Velikie Luki. The main event for fans of air balloon flights. Conducted since 1996.
- Australia, Canberra. The launch of amazing balloons takes place in a clearing near the old parliament building. Not a single event is complete without balloons in the shape of the symbol of Australia – the kangaroo.
Aerodesign – Adam Lee's Spider
Washington native Adam Lee made a huge spider out of balloons in 2011. The figure is considered the largest in the history of aerodesign. To create a design young man it took 300 long sausage-shaped balls and 6 days of work.
Adam Lee created the spider without a single drawing or notes. Several weaving methods and balls of three colors (black, red, white) were used. The figure was assembled piece by piece. Each paw was created separately from the head and body. At the final stage, the spider was collected and then placed in the center of the hall under the ceiling.
Air balloons for modeling are suitable for creating various volumetric figures. The largest balloon model of an airplane belongs to John Cassidy. The product even provides space for one pilot.
Journey on a bunch of balloons
Extreme athlete Jonathan Trapp from America flew in 2010 on a bunch of balloons tied to a chair across the English Channel. He used 54 multi-colored balls with a diameter of 2.5 meters to achieve the goal. Each balloon was filled with helium. This design held Jonathan for 1.5 hours. He flew 100 kilometers on a bunch of balloons.
The aeronaut did not stop there. In 2011, he managed to cross the Alps, setting a new record for the number of balls used and the length of the distance. But the main dream of the extreme sportsman remained unfulfilled.
In 2013, extreme sportsman Jonathan Trapp tried to fly over a huge Atlantic Ocean. Hoping for a new record, he used 375 helium balloons. This attempt was unsuccessful. The balloonist made an emergency landing due to worsening weather conditions. The extreme sportsman assured fans in an interview that he was not going to stop and that they would hear his name again.
Height record
Developers of balloon designs consider the achievable height to which the product can rise to be 60 kilometers. The lighter and larger the balloon, the higher it can fly. The density of the air that displaces the balloon decreases every 7 kilometers, which means the lifting force decreases.
In 2002, a new unmanned balloon BU60-1, owned by the Japanese agency JAXA, soared 53 kilometers. The air density at this altitude is 1400 times less than in areas familiar to humans. The dimensions of the balloon are 75 by 54 meters, weight is 40 kilograms, the thickness of the dome film is 3.4 microns.
In 2014, Google lead manager Alan Eustace achieved a record balloon ascent to a height of 41.4 kilometers. The extreme sportsman had to go down to earth using a parachute.
There are many records relating to the size of aerial spheres. The largest balloon in Europe is the Record balloon. It was created by Kyiv engineers of the aeronautical community in 2010. The photo of the balloon is amazing. The volume of the ball is 4200 cubic meters. The aircraft volume record was recorded during a festival in Crimea dedicated to the closing of the summer season. The “Record” basket can simultaneously contain 36 people of average weight.
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