Search
  • Videos
  • Windows 10
  • 5G
  • Best VPNs
  • Cloud
  • Security
  • AI
  • more
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
  • Newsletters
  • All Writers
    • Preferences
    • Community
    • Newsletters
    • Log Out
  • Menu
    • Videos
    • Windows 10
    • 5G
    • Best VPNs
    • Cloud
    • Security
    • AI
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
      • Preferences
      • Community
      • Newsletters
      • Log Out
  • us
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • India
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    • ZDNet around the globe:
    • ZDNet France
    • ZDNet Germany
    • ZDNet Korea
    • ZDNet Japan

WISE peers deep into space (photos)

1 of 15 NEXT PREV
  • 6222802-540-405.jpg

    When the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) launched in December 2009, it had one goal: to more proficiently map the sky than the infrared telescopes that came before it.

    If the latest photos released from WISE are any indication, it succeeded in that charge.

    Earlier this month, NASA released a host of images taken by WISE. The images in the first release encompass only 57 percent of all the pictures the telescope captured. NASA plans to launch WISE's complete survey in the spring of 2012.

    "We are excited that the preliminary data contain millions of newfound objects," Fengchuan Liu, the project manager for WISE at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement. "But the mission is not yet over--the real treasure is the final catalog available a year from now, which will have twice as many sources, covering the entire sky and reaching even deeper into the universe than today's release."

    WISE captured images at four infrared wavelenghts of light, NASA said. It was able to take more than 2.7 million images featuring "millions of galaxies, stars, [and] asteroids" before it was decommissioned by the government agency in February.

    NASA hopes that by releasing the images, astronomers around the globe will be able to find "hidden oddities" and areas where follow-up studies can be done to glean more information about space.

    Left image: The Rho Ophiunchi cloud complex is in full view. The bright white in the middle of the image takes on that look owing to the heat emitted from nearby stars, NASA says.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222803-540-405.jpg

    The SH 2-235 Nebula is captured by WISE in the Perseus spiral arm of the Milky Way. The star formation complex is more than 100 million light years across, according to NASA.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222804-540-405.jpg

    The beautiful Zeta Ophiuchi blue star is blazing a path through dust and gas.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222805-540-405.jpg

    You've undoubtedly heard of Orion's Belt, but right now you're looking at his head. According to NASA, WISE helped astronomers see "a giant nebula" around the star Lambda Orionis.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222806-540-405.jpg

    NASA's WISE telescope was able to get a detailed glimpse into Omega Centauri, a cluster of stars found in the Centaurus constellation.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222807-540-405.jpg

    A view of the BFS 29 nebula around the CE-Camelopardalis star. According to NASA, "most of the gas and dust" aren't viewable in visible light.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222808-540-540.jpg

    Though it might be hard to make out, this image shows an asteroid traveling through space. The Messier 74 galaxy is seen behind it.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222809-540-540.jpg

    Though it might be hard to make out, this image shows an asteroid traveling through space. The Messier 74 galaxy is seen behind it.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222810-540-540.jpg

    The DG 129 nebula was caught by WISE as it was photographing space. According to NASA, the nebula "reflects light from nearby, bright stars."

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222811-540-257.jpg

    Look closely enough and you'll see a faint green dot in the middle of this image. According to NASA, it's "a dim star belonging to a class called brown dwarf."

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222812-540-540.jpg

    Look deeply into the Lagoon Nebula (the large, colorful cloud). It's surrounded by stars and--you guessed it--more dust and gas.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222813-540-359.jpg

    The Vela Molecular Cloud Ridge is home to a countless number of stars. It's believed that the groups of red dots in this image are actually young stars that aren't able to be seen with visible light.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222814-540-635.jpg

    Talk about beauty. In this image, you find the Flame, Horsehead, and NGC 2023 nebulae, NASA says. They're all part of the Orion Molecular Cloud.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222815-540-540.jpg

    At about 30 million light-years away, the NGC 6744 galaxy has a spiral look that mimics the Milky Way.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

  • 6222816-540-540.jpg

    The Messier 33 galaxy (also known as the Triangulum Galaxy), is one of the closest to us, at only 3 million light-years away. NASA believes it could be the subject of serious study in the coming years.

    This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
    Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

    Caption by: CNET News.com

1 of 15 NEXT PREV

By CNET News.com | April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT) | Topic: Innovation

  • 6222802-540-405.jpg
  • 6222803-540-405.jpg
  • 6222804-540-405.jpg
  • 6222805-540-405.jpg
  • 6222806-540-405.jpg
  • 6222807-540-405.jpg
  • 6222808-540-540.jpg
  • 6222809-540-540.jpg
  • 6222810-540-540.jpg
  • 6222811-540-257.jpg
  • 6222812-540-540.jpg
  • 6222813-540-359.jpg
  • 6222814-540-635.jpg
  • 6222815-540-540.jpg
  • 6222816-540-540.jpg

NASA's wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission has sent back some impressive photos of faraway places.

Read More Read Less

When the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) launched in December 2009, it had one goal: to more proficiently map the sky than the infrared telescopes that came before it.

If the latest photos released from WISE are any indication, it succeeded in that charge.

Earlier this month, NASA released a host of images taken by WISE. The images in the first release encompass only 57 percent of all the pictures the telescope captured. NASA plans to launch WISE's complete survey in the spring of 2012.

"We are excited that the preliminary data contain millions of newfound objects," Fengchuan Liu, the project manager for WISE at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement. "But the mission is not yet over--the real treasure is the final catalog available a year from now, which will have twice as many sources, covering the entire sky and reaching even deeper into the universe than today's release."

WISE captured images at four infrared wavelenghts of light, NASA said. It was able to take more than 2.7 million images featuring "millions of galaxies, stars, [and] asteroids" before it was decommissioned by the government agency in February.

NASA hopes that by releasing the images, astronomers around the globe will be able to find "hidden oddities" and areas where follow-up studies can be done to glean more information about space.

Left image: The Rho Ophiunchi cloud complex is in full view. The bright white in the middle of the image takes on that look owing to the heat emitted from nearby stars, NASA says.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
Published: April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT)

Caption by: CNET News.com

1 of 15 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

Innovation CXO Digital Transformation Tech Industry Smart Cities Cloud

By CNET News.com | April 25, 2011 -- 12:44 GMT (05:44 PDT) | Topic: Innovation

Show Comments
LOG IN TO COMMENT
  • My Profile
  • Log Out
| Community Guidelines

Join Discussion

Add Your Comment
Add Your Comment

Related Galleries

  • 1 of 3
  • Remote working, programming languages, artificial intelligence, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

    From the growth in remote working to the rise of automation and onto the demand for wearable devices, here's the research that matters from the past month in tech news. ...

  • Pitfalls to Avoid when Interpreting Machine Learning Models

    Modern requirements for machine learning models include both high predictive performance and model interpretability. A team of experts in explainable AI highlights pitfalls ...

  • Toshiba laptops through the ages

    Toshiba’s 35-year run in the laptop business is at an end, but what a journey it has been.

  • Innovative projects now online to combat coronavirus outbreak

    The spread of COVID-19 has a small silver lining: highlighting how innovative humankind can be under pressure. Here are our favorite examples.

  • Top programming languages, 5G worries, cloud computing, and more: Research round-up

    All the facts and figures that matter to you and your business from the past month in technology news.

  • Samsung Galaxy S20 first look: All the models and colors up close

    Here is Samsung's latest flagship range, in all its glory.

  • Google Maps turns 15: A look back on where it all began

    A timeline of Google Maps through the years since it was launched in 2005.

ZDNet
Connect with us

© 2021 ZDNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Privacy Policy | Cookie Settings | Advertise | Terms of Use

  • Topics
  • Galleries
  • Videos
  • Sponsored Narratives
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About ZDNet
  • Meet The Team
  • All Authors
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Reprint Policy
  • Manage | Log Out
  • Join | Log In
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Site Assistance
  • ZDNet Academy
  • TechRepublic Forums