Image of the Month

Here we showcase the best images that were obtained during that month by the Liverpool Telescope. If you feel that you have obtained a particularly good observation, then please let us know.

February 2010

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

10/02/10 - 02:05 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Fort Pitt Grammar School

Here we have the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3507, which is around 45 million light-years away. Although the galaxy looks like it has two bright central bulges, the smaller one is actually a foreground star, which is just 550 light-years away.

NGC3507
Download LTImage version of observation: 1748e000.hfit

January 2010

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

25/01/10 - 21:47 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Our Lady of Sion School

Here we see a nice image of Mars, taken a few days before opposition - the other side of Earth to the Sun. The image shows lots of surface detail, including a polar region (left) that is coated in a bright layer of frozen carbon dioxide.

Mars
Download LTImage version of observation: 1722f000.hfit

December 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

06/12/09 - 22:23 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

St George's Preparatory School

Here we have the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1637. With the galaxy appearing face-on to us, we can see the spiral arms structure clearly. NGC 1637 is located around 25 million light-years away in the constellation of Eridanus.

NGC 1637
Download LTImage version of observation: 1649h000.hfit

November 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

28/11/09 - 21:24 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Llangatwg Comprehensive School

This image of the Moon's surface shows a nice variety of features. On the right you can see a mountain range running north to south, whilst to the bottom left we have the edge of a dark Mare or lunar sea. Craters can be seen throughout.

Moon Section
Download LTImage version of observation: 1572h000.hfit

October 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

25/10/09 - 05:57 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias

Here we have a barred spiral galaxy, known to its friends as NGC 4051. The bright knobbly areas you can see in the spiral arms of the galaxy are due to star-birth regions that contain hot young stars. NGC 4051 is thought to contain a supermassive black hole.

NGC 4051
Download LTImage version of observation: 1354k000.hfit

Sept. 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

25/09/09 - 20:11 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Home Educator, Cambridge

This image of the Moon shows the region close to the terminator - the line between light and dark. The shallow angle of the incoming sunlight means that features, such as craters or mountains, cast long shadows across the lunar surface, which gives us a better sense of depth.

Moon
Download LTImage version of observation: 1475g000.hfit

August 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

26/08/09 - 01:26 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias

This object is commonly known as the Bubble Nebula (or NGC 7635). The bubble is created by the outflow from a massive hot star expanding into the surrounding cloud of gas. We have used false colours to pick out more detail.

NGC 7635
Download LTImage version of observation: 1460c000.hfit

July 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

23/07/09 - 02:20 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Swakeleys School

Here we see a glowing nebula called IC63. Nebulae are clouds of gas and dust that are illuminated in some way. In this case, the edges of IC63 are being lit up by a nearby bright star (not in frame). Over time, the nebula will evaporate.

IC63
Download LTImage version of observation: 1448i000.hfit

June 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

05/06/09 - 04:52 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

St George's Preparatory School

This image shows some nice detail of weather patterns in the planet Jupiter's atmosphere. Although we cannot see the Great Red Spot (a storm that has raged for hundreds of years), we can see a few of Jupiter's moons.

Jupiter
Download LTImage version of observation: 1406b000.hfit

May 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

15/05/09 - 22:36 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

St George's Preparatory School

Here we have a finely detailed image of NGC 4501, which is a wonderful example of a spiral galaxy. The bright central bulge of the galaxy is surrounded by a mixture of star forming regions and elongated dust clouds, which trace out the extending spiral pattern.

NGC 4501
Download LTImage version of observation: 1357s000.hfit

April 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

23/04/09 - 23:25 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

Rainham Mark Grammar School

This sharp image shows the distorted galaxy, NGC 4618. Unlike most spiral galaxies, NGC 4618 has only one single spiral arm, which gives rise to its asymmetric or lopsided appearance. Although it looks somewhat peculiar, it is actually classified as a barred spiral galaxy.

NGC 4618
Download LTImage version of observation: 1357n000.hfit

March 2009

Date:

Telescope:

Observer:

Description:

22/03/09 - 02:09 GMT

Liverpool Telescope

St George's Preparatory School

The fuzzy blob in this image is an elliptical galaxy, called NGC 4278, containing hundreds of millions of stars. These galaxies appear smooth and can be round or oval. If you look carefully you may be able to pick out smaller galaxies and globular clusters surrounding it.

NGC 4278
Download LTImage version of observation: 1285j000.hfit

IOM Archive
Image of the Month - Archive