RAO Research Telescope Images

The Dumbbell Nebula (M27) is a planetary Nebula 1200 lightyears away. Planetary nebulae are formed when stars similar to our Sun self-destruct at the end of their lives.

This globular cluster (M13) is in the constellation of Hercules, and is 22,000 light years away. Approximately 145 light years across it contains several hundred thousand stars all held together by gravity.

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest major galaxy to our Milky Way galaxy at 2.5 million lightyears. The Milky Way and M31 are moving toward each other and will begin to merge in ~4.5 billion years.

The North American Nebula (NGC7000) is a large emission nebula located in the constellation Cygnus. The hydrogen gas is ionized by nearby hot blue stars, that have recently formed in this star formation portrait.

The Triangulum Galaxy (M33) is a spiral galaxy 2.73 million light years away. It is the third largest galaxy in our Local Group and is one of the most distant objects that can be seen with the naked eye.

The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51) is a spiral galaxy 23 million lightyears away in Ursa Major (the Big Dipper). It is also interacting with the Dwarf Galaxy NGC5195 making the pair one of the most recognizable galactic objects.

The Flame nebula is located close to the star Alnitak in the belt of Orion. It is a very dense region of molecular hydrogen at a distance of 1370 light years. This image also shows the Horsehead nebula in this giant complex of interstellar gas in our Milky Way galaxy.