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This archive is a showcase of the best "Images of the Month" taken by the Liverpool Telescope during previous years.
| April 2011 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
12/04/11 - 22:23 GMT Liverpool Telescope Royal Greenwich Observatory (Student) The weather in La Palma hasn't been that great during April, but we did manage to get this rather nice image of the Moon's surface. The large crater to the left of the image, known as Copernicus, is 93 km in diameter and around 1 km deep. The three central peaks rise to about 1.2 km above the base of the crater. That's not far off the height of Ben Nevis. |
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| Download LTImage observation: 2661B000.hfit | ||
| March 2011 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
29/03/11 - 04:57 GMT Liverpool Telescope Formby High School This 3-colour image is of a Planetary nebula known as the Ring Nebula, or M57. These are low-mass stars shedding the outer layers of their atmospheres as they end their lifetime. The layers of different colours we see are shells of different elements being ejected. The hot blue core of the star (now called a white dwarf) can still be seen in the middle. |
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| Download LTImage 3-Colour observations: 2589I000.hfit (R) 2589I001.hfit (G) 2589I002.hfit (B) | ||
| February 2011 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
13/02/11 - 06:03 GMT Liverpool Telescope Barrow-in-Furness Sixth Form College This month we have another spiral galaxy to show you, but a particularly stunning example. NGC 4501 (or M88) is located 47 million light-years away in the constellation of Coma Berenices. This 3-colour image (created using LTImage) shows that the galaxy core is made of older cool-red stars, whereas younger hot-blue stars occupy the spiral arms. |
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| Download LTImage 3-Colour observations: 2480B000.hfit (R) 2480B001.hfit (G) 2480B002.hfit (B) | ||
| January 2011 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
11/01/11 - 01:31 GMT Liverpool Telescope Moulton School and Science College Here we have one of the first 3-colour images requested by an NSO school. The target is the spiral galaxy NGC 2776, which is located 120 million light-years away in the constellation of Lynx. 3-colour imaging is the process whereby images of the same object using three different filters are combined to create a colour image. |
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| Download LTImage 3-Colour observations: 2344E000.hfit (R) 2344E001.hfit (G) 2344E002.hfit (B) | ||
| December 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
23/12/10 - 06:41 GMT Liverpool Telescope Trainee Teacher - Liverpool Some of you early birds may have seen the planet Venus shining brightly in recent weeks, just before sunrise, but one of our trainee teachers took the opportunity of capturing an image of it using the Liverpool Telescope. From the result, it is clear that Venus exhibits phases in a very similar way to the Moon. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1727e000.hfit | ||
| November 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
18/11/10 - 21:47 GMT Liverpool Telescope Amesbury Primary School Here we can see an interesting region of the Moon's surface that incorporates craters, lunar Mare (seas) and mountains. Because the phase terminator (the line between dark and light) is just off shot, we can see shadows being cast by vertical features, thereby revealing lots of surface detail. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 2173B000.hfit | ||
| October 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
17/10/10 - 04:27 GMT Liverpool Telescope Winifred Holtby School Here we have the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1637, whose central core has a distinctive bar-shape running through it. There is also plenty of structure to define the spiral arms of the galaxy. NGC 1637 is located around 25 million light-years away in the constellation of Eridanus. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 2113D000.hfit | ||
| September 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
05/09/10 - 03:18 GMT Liverpool Telescope Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias The object in this image is the Little Dumbbell Nebula, also known as M76. First discovered in 1780, M76 is a planetary nebula in the constellation of Perseus. The central bar region is actually a small ring that we are seeing edge-on, whilst the "butterfly" wings are regions that are expanding more quickly. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 2003a000.hfit | ||
| August 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
15/08/10 - 05:27 GMT Liverpool Telescope Headington School If you look closely at this image of Jupiter, you may see a small, dark, oval-shaped feature on its surface. This is actually a shadow being cast by one of Jupiter's moons, Io, which can be seen dimly illuminated, just to the left of the planet. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 2001h000.hfit | ||
| July 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
07/07/10 - 04:20 GMT Liverpool Telescope King Edwards School This image captures the edge of the Moon during its crescent phase. The terminator (the line between dark and light) is just to the right of shot, which is why we can see long shadows being cast from the crater walls. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1965g000.hfit | ||
| June 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
11/06/10 - 03:27 GMT Liverpool Telescope Oakwood Technology College This detailed image of the planetary nebula M57, also known as the Ring Nebula, shows the ejected layers of a dying star's outer atmosphere. The shell of discarded material is mostly made up of hydrogen and helium gas. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1189b000.hfit | ||
| May 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
24/05/10 - 03:27 GMT Liverpool Telescope Oakwood Technology College Here we see the detailed central region of the Whirlpool Galaxy. Also known as NGC 5194, this is classic example of a spiral galaxy. The clumpy regions in the emerging spiral arms mark out regions where new stars are being created. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1899i000.hfit | ||
| April 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
06/04/10 - 01:06 GMT Liverpool Telescope NSO Staff This smattering of stars is actually an irregular type of galaxy called NGC 5204, and is located in the constellation of Ursa Major. Astronomers believe that NGC 5204 is in the later stages of becoming a spiral galaxy. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1388p002.hfit | ||
| March 2010 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
23/03/10 - 22:55 GMT Liverpool Telescope St Clere's School This image of the planet Saturn shows surface weather bands caused by strong winds in its upper atmosphere. Saturn's rings are made of billions of tiny chunks of ice and dust, and are just 30 metres thick, but around 275,000 km wide. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1841d000.hfit | ||
| February 2010 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1748e000.hfit | ||
| January 2010 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1722f000.hfit | ||
| December 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1649h000.hfit | ||
| November 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1572h000.hfit | ||
| October 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1354k000.hfit | ||
| September 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1475g000.hfit | ||
| August 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1460c000.hfit | ||
| July 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1448i000.hfit | ||
| June 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1406b000.hfit | ||
| May 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1357s000.hfit | ||
| April 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1357n000.hfit | ||
| March 2009 | ||
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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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1285j000.hfit | ||
| February 2009 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
17/02/09 - 20:10 GMT Liverpool Telescope Framwellgate School Many of you may have seen the planet Venus shining brightly over the past couple of months, just after sunset, but some of our schools took the opportunity of capturing an image of it using the Liverpool Telescope. From the result, it is clear that Venus exhibits phases in a very similar way to the Moon. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1252f000.hfit | ||
| January 2009 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
29/01/09 - 00:38 GMT Liverpool Telescope Sackville School This month we have a rather fine example of the Spiral Galaxy, namely NGC 2776. Being face-on to us, we can see a large amount of detail in the galaxy's spiral arms, with each of the knotted regions or "lumps" you see being vast clouds of gas and dust, where new stars are being born. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1250h000.hfit | ||
| December 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
18/12/08 - 03:18 GMT Liverpool Telescope Lingham Primary School This sharp image of the Moon shows a cratered 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. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1206h000.hfit | ||
| November 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
24/11/08 - 02:43 GMT Liverpool Telescope Abbots Bromley School for Girls Here we see a good quality image of the famous Crab Nebula, or M1. M1 is a supernova remnant - material ejected from a massive star that exploded in 1054 AD, and is still travelling out at around 1,500 km/s. The heat generated by collisions with dust and gas causes the ejected material to glow. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1191j000.hfit | ||
| October 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
07/10/08 - 00:39 GMT Liverpool Telescope Norwich School This month we have a rather fine image of an emission nebula, known as IC 1795. The nebula lies around 7,500 light years away in the constellation of Cassiopeia, and is a mixture of glowing interstellar gas (lit up by stars embedded within the gas) and dark dust clouds. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1131i000.hfit | ||
| September 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
22/09/08 - 22:40 GMT Liverpool Telescope Saints Peter and Paul Catholic College This unusual object is called NGC7635, but is more commonly known as the Bubble Nebula. It lies 11,000 light years away in the constellation of Cassiopeia, and was created by the stellar wind flowing out from a massive hot young star into the surrounding molecular cloud. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1136f000.hfit | ||
| August 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
29/08/08 - 03:45 GMT Liverpool Telescope Tower College Here we see the diffuse nebula NGC1579, which lies 2,100 light years away in Perseus. NGC1579 is a dusty star forming region that glows with the light of many hot young stars embedded within it. The central regions of the nebula are dominated by dust, which creates the dark dust lanes we see. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1052j000.hfit | ||
| July 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
08/07/08 - 01:43 GMT Liverpool Telescope Belvidere School Here we see a spiral galaxy called NGC6632, which is similar to our own Milky Way galaxy. The spiral arms stand out because they are the regions where hot bright new stars are born. Note that the bright stars you see if the image are foreground stars in our galaxy, and NGC6632 lies a long way behind them. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1107g000.hfit | ||
| June 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
14/06/08 - 04:21 GMT Liverpool Telescope Lancing College This month we see another example of a planetary nebula (PN), called the Dumbbell Nebula or M27. It was discovered in 1764, when astronomers thought their round shape meant that PNs were planetary in nature. Of course we now know that they are distant stars in the final stages of their lifetimes. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1056d000.hfit | ||
| May 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
14/05/08 - 03:43 GMT Liverpool Telescope Home Educator - Birmingham This false-colour image of the planetary nebula M57, also known as the Ring Nebula, shows the cast-off layers of a dying star's outer atmosphere, which now surround the star's remaining core - called a white dwarf. Using false-colours in LTImage can sometimes allow us to see more detail. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1067c000.hfit | ||
| April 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
24/04/08 - 23:09 GMT Liverpool Telescope Tower College This image shows two spiral galaxies, called NGC4567 and NC4568, that are in the process of colliding and merging with each other - officially known as interacting galaxies. They were first discovered in 1784, although astronomers did not understand the true nature of galaxies back then. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1052b000.hfit | ||
| March 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
15/03/08 - 22:26 GMT Liverpool Telescope Sir William Borlases Grammar School This image of the planet Saturn shows some nice surface and ring detail. The rings are made up of billions of small chunks of ice and dust, and are just 30 metres thick, but 275,000 km across. Over the coming years, the ring system will appear to close as our view of Saturn changes. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1043j000.hfit | ||
| February 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
18/02/08 - 20:22 GMT Liverpool Telescope Tormead School Poor weather meant that the best images in February were all of the Moon. Here we see the heavily cratered southern highland region of the lunar surface, surrounding the Tycho impact crater. The crater displays a distinctive ray system of ejected material that reaches as far as 1,500 kilometres. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 1005h000.hfit | ||
| January 2008 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
16/01/08 - 06:33 GMT Liverpool Telescope Bolton School This wispy object is a planetary nebula - a spherical cloud of gas and dust, which used to be the outer atmosphere of a star (similar to our Sun) that has recently come to the end of its lifetime. The faint star in the middle, known as a white dwarf, is the hot leftover core of the star. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 905a000.hfit | ||
| December 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
01/12/07 - 06:37 GMT Liverpool Telescope Framwell Gate School Durham This image of the Moon shows a large crater and mountian range running through the middle of a much flatter Mare (lunar sea) region. See how shadows can give the impression of depth, and allow us to estimate the height of mountains and crater walls. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 946b000.hfit | ||
| November 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
13/11/07 - 06:30 GMT Liverpool Telescope Sale Grammar School This image shows some surface detail of the planet Mars, as it approaches opposition in late December. The dark area you can see to the left of the visible surface is the Syrtis Major region on Mars. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 725d000.hfit | ||
| October 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
21/10/07 - 02:14 GMT Liverpool Telescope Honley High School This image of the planetary nebula M76, also known as the Little Dumbbell Nebula, shows the recently disgarded layers of a dying star's outer atmosphere that surround its leftover core, which is now called a white dwarf. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 919d000.hfit | ||
| September 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
20/09/07 - 21:39 GMT Liverpool Telescope Sir William Borlases Grammar School This image of the Moon shows a nice contrast between the lunar mountains and the smoother Mare (lunar sea) regions. The shadows help to give an impression of depth, both in terms of the height of mountains and depth of craters. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 898h000.hfit | ||
| August 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
08/08/07 - 20:46 GMT Liverpool Telescope Institute of Astronomy (Cambridge) This image shows clear detail of weather patterns in Jupiter's outer atmosphere. The Great Red Spot (a storm that has raged for hundreds of years) must have been on the other side of the planet when this was taken. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 883d000.hfit | ||
| July 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
23/07/07 - 03:34 GMT Liverpool Telescope Greater Manchester Setpoint Observing was hampered this month by sandstorms blowing across the sea from the Sahara desert. However, we did manage to get this nice image of the barred spiral galaxy, NGC7479, which shows a bright central bulge, and dust-lanes streaking through the main spiral arms. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 879i000.hfit | ||
| June 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
15/06/07 - 02:49 GMT Liverpool Telescope Old Palace School of John Whitgift This image shows a small part of NGC6888, the Crescent Nebula. The nebula is created by a hot, blue-giant star (not seen here) in the final stages of its life, which is expelling the outer layers of its atmosphere at an extremely high rate and will eventually go supernova. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 862g000.hfit | ||
| May 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
15/05/07 - 03:35 GMT Liverpool Telescope St Ninians High School Here we are looking edge-on at a spiral galaxy called NGC5908. We can clearly see the central bulge of stars and the glow further out from the extended spiral arms. The dark streak is due to clouds of dust in the galaxy's disk blocking out light from the stars. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 851c000.hfit | ||
| April 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
16/04/07 - 01:39 GMT Liverpool Telescope Ashwell PRU Here is an unusual galaxy called NGC4618. Some people think it's a irregular class of galaxy, whilst others think it's a one-armed barred spiral. Whatever the case, the blotchy areas you can see are known as starburst regions, where hot new stars are being created. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 839d000.hfit | ||
| March 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
02/03/07 - 02:39 GMT Liverpool Telescope (LT) NSO Staff The LT was closed for much of March due to snow and ice, however, we did get this nice image of the boundary between Mare (Lunar Sea) and a much older cratered region. Notice the many features where the surface layer has been broken to reveal brighter sub-soils. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 814c000.hfit | ||
| February 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
23/02/07 - 22:12 GMT Liverpool Telescope Tormead School Here we can see the edge of a lunar Maria or sea - the dark areas on the Moon's surface. Mare are large plains formed by ancient volcanic eruptions that flowed over and covered the original cratered surface. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 783b000.hfit | ||
| January 2007 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
17/01/07 - 02:36 GMT Liverpool Telescope Norman Lockyer Observatory The fuzzy blob in this image is an elliptical galaxy called NGC3998. These galaxies appear smooth and can be round or oval. Using false colours helps us to pick out smaller galaxies and globular clusters surrounding it. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 777a200.hfit | ||
| December 2006 | ||
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Date: Telescope: Observer: Description: |
22/12/06 - 02:12 GMT Liverpool Telescope Sale Grammar School This month we showcase an image of the Crab Nebula, otherwise known as M1, which is a vast expanding cloud of gas created following a supernova explosion of a star that was observed back in the year 1054 AD. |
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| Download LTImage version of observation: 726i000.hfit | ||
