View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andrea Iorio in Rome and Fernando Linsalata in Rimini, Italy, combined their data for this image of the Pinwheel galaxy (M101) on April 13. Andrea wrote: “The Pinwheel galaxy is a face-on spiral galaxy 21 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major. The Pinwheel is a large galaxy, with a diameter of 170,000 light-years and around a trillion stars. It has many hydrogen-alpha regions (red spots in this image), created by large numbers of extremely bright and hot young stars.” Thank you, Andrea! See more of our editor’s picks from March’s deep-sky photos below.
Stunning deep-sky photos from our community
The EarthSky community has many talented astrophotographers who capture stunning images of the deep sky. So enjoy this gallery of some of the best deep-sky photos we received in April 2024. Do you have some of your own deep-sky images to share? You can submit them to us here. We love to see them!
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Deep-sky photos of diffuse nebulae
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andy Dungan near Cotopaxi, Colorado, captured this wide-field view of the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion on April 17. Andy wrote: “The Lobster nebula is on the left and the Cat’s Paw nebula on the right. Both are close to the end of the tail of the Scorpion. What fun to look at the night sky.” Thank you, Andy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andy Dungan near Cotopaxi, Colorado, also captured this wide-field view of Scorpius the Scorpion on April 17. Andy wrote: “The reddish glow is the Prawn nebula. Also, the 2 bright stars on the right are 1 Scorpii and 2 Scorpii. The False Comet cluster (or the Northern Jewel Box) is to their left. I had little time to take these pics. I started around 4 a.m. and astronomical twilight begins by 4:30 a.m. this time of year.” Thank you, Andy!
The Orion Molecular Complex with passing rocket debris
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jason Dain in Doaktown, New Brunswick, Canada, caught this scene in the constellation Orion the Hunter on April 7. Jason wrote: “This appears to be an upper stage deorbit burn of the Falcon 9 rocket launch as it passes through Orion.” Thank you, Jason!
Deep-sky photos of galaxies
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ahmad Aliqabi in Alkut, Wasit, Iraq, captured this telescopic view of Messier 51 on April 6. Also known as the Whirlpool galaxy, it lies in the constellation Canes Venatici. Thank you, Ahmad!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ahmad Aliqabi in Alkut, Wasit, Iraq, also captured NGC 4565, the Needle galaxy, on April 6. It lies in the constellation Coma Berenices. Thank you, Ahmad!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Richard Cofer in Aiken, South Carolina, captured spiral galaxy Messier 88 in Coma Berenices on April 12. Thank you, Richard!
Groups of galaxies
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Fred Holman in Contoocook, New Hampshire, captured the Leo Triplet of galaxies on April 10. Fred wrote: “M65, M66 and NGC 3628 are a small group of galaxies about 35 million light-years away in the constellation Leo.” Thank you, Fred!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mohamed Al Adhamei in Kut, Iraq, also captured the Leo Triplet on April 5. Mohamed wrote: “NGC 3628 (top) is a spiral galaxy 5 million light-years away. William Herschel discovered it in 1784. It extends over approximately 300,000 light-years.” Thank you, Mohamed!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mohamed Al Adhamei in Kut, Iraq, captured galaxies M81 and M82 in Ursa Major on April 12. Mohamed wrote: “The Cigar galaxy (M82, top) is 12 million light-years away. Scientists expect a future collision and merger between this galaxy and the larger M81.” Thank you, Mohamed!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ron Haggett in Yuma, Arizona, captured these galaxies on April 3. Ron wrote: “Markarian’s Chain is a stretch of galaxies that forms part of the Virgo Cluster. When viewed from Earth, the galaxies lie along a smoothly curved line. Near the center are a pair of interacting galaxies about 50 million light-years away, known as Markarian’s Eyes.” Thank you, Ron!
And a supernova in a distant galaxy
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman of Tucson, Arizona, used a large remote telescope in Australia to capture a supernova. This is supernova 2024 ggi in the constellation Hydra the Water Snake from April 14, just 3 days after its discovery. Eliot wrote: “New supernova in a galaxy that is relatively close. This supernova is continuing to brighten, to be the brightest of 2024 to date.” Thank you, Eliot!
Bottom line: Enjoy this gallery of deep-sky photos for April 2024 from our EarthSky community. And if you have a great photo to share, send it in. We love to see them!
Share your recent Earth or sky photo at EarthSky Community Photos.
Armando Caussade
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About the Author:
Armando is well known as an astronomy educator, after 30+ years leading extensive initiatives of public outreach and 10+ years teaching in colleges. As one of only a handful of Puerto Rican science communicators during Comet Halley’s last visit, he assumed a pioneering role starting in 1985 when science was just beginning to enter the local mindset; over time his work brought meaningful change to the culture, inspiring people to pursue interests in science and technology. His affiliations include Ana G. Méndez University–Cupey, where in 2014 he spearheaded an 8-course extension program focusing on observational astronomy, the first ever in the island.
