The Vera C Rubin Observatory is about to show us the universe like never before
The Vera C Rubin Observatory is about to open its eyes.
Perched on a Chilean mountaintop, the US-funded observatory promises to "revolutionise our view of the cosmos".
Using the world's largest digital camera, the observatory will take images of the Southern Hemisphere over the next 10 years.
After a decade under construction, which cost $US810 million ($1.2 billion) alone, it is about to release its first snapshots to the public early in the week.
Australia is one of many countries contributing to the telescope's development, and astronomers such as Tania Barone from Swinburne University of Technology are gearing up for the wealth of information the observatory is expected to generate.
The Rubin Observatory, or officially the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, is built on the Chilean mountain of Cerro Pachón, 2,647 metres above sea level.
The high altitude and dry air gives it a view of the night sky with minimal interference.
Inside, a telescope with an 8.4 metre-wide mirror will feed light into a camera the size of a car.
The 3,000-kilogram camera is the largest digital camera ever made, and each exposure will capture an area of the night sky about 45 times the area of the full moon.
The camera will use six different coloured filters to take images in different light spectra from ultraviolet beyond our vision, right through to infrared.
When combined, these filters will provide a spectacularly detailed view of the cosmos over time.
The camera will snap a picture every few seconds, and will be able to photograph the whole Southern Hemisphere sky every couple of days.
It is scheduled to do this for 10 years, building up a decade-long survey of space and how it changes.
But Dr Barone said that the observatory will also be able to provide astronomers with super-fast results.
"Every time it looks at the same patch of sky, it will immediately compare it to what it looked like before," Dr Barone said.
"If there's a change, it sends out alerts, and suddenly everyone can follow it up and see what's happening."
The observatory is named after the US astronomer Vera Rubin, who uncovered some of the first evidence for dark matter.
The observatory was born out of a quest by astronomers to solve the mystery of dark matter.
Researchers started floating the idea for the observatory in the 1990s, discussing what type of telescope they would need to learn more about dark matter and how powerful it would need to be.
The observatory will be useful for understanding dark matter, but it will also be able to spot a number of other things.
Rachel Webster, an astrophysicist at the University of Melbourne, said that the telescope's ability to capture the whole night sky, several times a week, will allow researchers to view rare objects that were previously only captured by chance.
These include stars that explode as supernovas, or quasars that send out regular pulses of energy across the universe like clockwork.
"I've got experiments that I designed and thought about 30 years ago which I had never been able to do," Professor Webster said.
A particular area of interest is gravitational lensing: where the gravity of objects can warp and magnify light coming from more distant objects.
"We're going to be able to find a whole lot more of these incredible targets, which tell us a whole lot about, dark matter, the nature of the universe, and also the nature of these really distant galaxies because they are very brightly magnified," Dr Barone said.
The telescope's huge lens will also capture very faint light, allowing researchers to see distant large-scale objects.
"We haven't been able to really do that before, because telescopes tend to have fairly small scales," Professor Webster said.
Jonti Horner, an astrophysicist at the University of Southern Queensland, said the telescope would also be able to spot much closer objects.
The observatory will be able to spot many more asteroids, comets, and other close Solar System objects than any previous telescope.
Professor Horner said that the observatory will also give people a much better chance of seeing asteroids that could crash into the Earth.
"If we find something that's on a collision course, it gives us hugely more time to see that it's coming, giving us the option to do something about it — whether that's deflecting the object or evacuating the area," he said.
Earlier this year, NASA spotted an asteroid, dubbed 2024 YR4, that had a higher-than-usual chance of hitting the Earth within seven years. Experts now think it poses no significant risk.
"If Vera Rubin was operating 10 years ago, we would have found that object 10 years ago," Professor Horner said.
The observatory will also be useful for finding out if the the elusive Planet Nine, a theoretical gigantic planet beyond Neptune, actually exists.
The Rubin Observatory's first pictures will be released early this week.
The official unveiling happens at 1am (AEST) this Tuesday, June 24.
If you are keen, you can watch the unveiling live on the telescope's website or rug up and go to a watch party in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth.
The telescope's official mission will begin a little later this year, and researchers anticipate it will not be long before they see exciting information coming out of the observatory.
Australian researchers have arranged to get access to Rubin's information, by helping to process Rubin's information.
The observatory will be generating some 20 terabytes of data every night.
"The volume of data that will come off is beyond even the resources of the US," Professor Webster said.
Australian researchers have developed software that the observatory will run on, helping to process these vast torrents of data.
"We found that the most efficient or effective way that we contribute was to offer our brains," Professor Webster said.
"So we've had a number of IT people who've been working on the data processing."
In return, the Australian astronomy community has negotiated to get access to Rubin's information as soon as it is generated, allowing them to progress their research further.
"It was really impressive to see astronomers who come from totally different research fields with totally different research interests, all saying 'this is really important to us, we need to have access,'" Professor Horner said.
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ABC News
16 hours ago
- ABC News
The Vera C Rubin Observatory is about to show us the universe like never before
The Vera C Rubin Observatory is about to open its eyes. Perched on a Chilean mountaintop, the US-funded observatory promises to "revolutionise our view of the cosmos". Using the world's largest digital camera, the observatory will take images of the Southern Hemisphere over the next 10 years. After a decade under construction, which cost $US810 million ($1.2 billion) alone, it is about to release its first snapshots to the public early in the week. Australia is one of many countries contributing to the telescope's development, and astronomers such as Tania Barone from Swinburne University of Technology are gearing up for the wealth of information the observatory is expected to generate. The Rubin Observatory, or officially the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, is built on the Chilean mountain of Cerro Pachón, 2,647 metres above sea level. The high altitude and dry air gives it a view of the night sky with minimal interference. Inside, a telescope with an 8.4 metre-wide mirror will feed light into a camera the size of a car. The 3,000-kilogram camera is the largest digital camera ever made, and each exposure will capture an area of the night sky about 45 times the area of the full moon. The camera will use six different coloured filters to take images in different light spectra from ultraviolet beyond our vision, right through to infrared. When combined, these filters will provide a spectacularly detailed view of the cosmos over time. The camera will snap a picture every few seconds, and will be able to photograph the whole Southern Hemisphere sky every couple of days. It is scheduled to do this for 10 years, building up a decade-long survey of space and how it changes. But Dr Barone said that the observatory will also be able to provide astronomers with super-fast results. "Every time it looks at the same patch of sky, it will immediately compare it to what it looked like before," Dr Barone said. "If there's a change, it sends out alerts, and suddenly everyone can follow it up and see what's happening." The observatory is named after the US astronomer Vera Rubin, who uncovered some of the first evidence for dark matter. The observatory was born out of a quest by astronomers to solve the mystery of dark matter. Researchers started floating the idea for the observatory in the 1990s, discussing what type of telescope they would need to learn more about dark matter and how powerful it would need to be. The observatory will be useful for understanding dark matter, but it will also be able to spot a number of other things. Rachel Webster, an astrophysicist at the University of Melbourne, said that the telescope's ability to capture the whole night sky, several times a week, will allow researchers to view rare objects that were previously only captured by chance. These include stars that explode as supernovas, or quasars that send out regular pulses of energy across the universe like clockwork. "I've got experiments that I designed and thought about 30 years ago which I had never been able to do," Professor Webster said. A particular area of interest is gravitational lensing: where the gravity of objects can warp and magnify light coming from more distant objects. "We're going to be able to find a whole lot more of these incredible targets, which tell us a whole lot about, dark matter, the nature of the universe, and also the nature of these really distant galaxies because they are very brightly magnified," Dr Barone said. The telescope's huge lens will also capture very faint light, allowing researchers to see distant large-scale objects. "We haven't been able to really do that before, because telescopes tend to have fairly small scales," Professor Webster said. Jonti Horner, an astrophysicist at the University of Southern Queensland, said the telescope would also be able to spot much closer objects. The observatory will be able to spot many more asteroids, comets, and other close Solar System objects than any previous telescope. Professor Horner said that the observatory will also give people a much better chance of seeing asteroids that could crash into the Earth. "If we find something that's on a collision course, it gives us hugely more time to see that it's coming, giving us the option to do something about it — whether that's deflecting the object or evacuating the area," he said. Earlier this year, NASA spotted an asteroid, dubbed 2024 YR4, that had a higher-than-usual chance of hitting the Earth within seven years. Experts now think it poses no significant risk. "If Vera Rubin was operating 10 years ago, we would have found that object 10 years ago," Professor Horner said. The observatory will also be useful for finding out if the the elusive Planet Nine, a theoretical gigantic planet beyond Neptune, actually exists. The Rubin Observatory's first pictures will be released early this week. The official unveiling happens at 1am (AEST) this Tuesday, June 24. If you are keen, you can watch the unveiling live on the telescope's website or rug up and go to a watch party in Melbourne, Sydney or Perth. The telescope's official mission will begin a little later this year, and researchers anticipate it will not be long before they see exciting information coming out of the observatory. Australian researchers have arranged to get access to Rubin's information, by helping to process Rubin's information. The observatory will be generating some 20 terabytes of data every night. "The volume of data that will come off is beyond even the resources of the US," Professor Webster said. Australian researchers have developed software that the observatory will run on, helping to process these vast torrents of data. "We found that the most efficient or effective way that we contribute was to offer our brains," Professor Webster said. "So we've had a number of IT people who've been working on the data processing." In return, the Australian astronomy community has negotiated to get access to Rubin's information as soon as it is generated, allowing them to progress their research further. "It was really impressive to see astronomers who come from totally different research fields with totally different research interests, all saying 'this is really important to us, we need to have access,'" Professor Horner said.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Nearby Sculptor galaxy revealed in ultra-detail
The Sculptor galaxy is similar in many respects to our Milky Way. It is about the same size and mass, with a similar spiral structure. But while it is impossible to get a full view of the Milky Way from the vantage point of Earth because we are inside the galaxy, Sculptor is perfectly positioned for a good look. Astronomers have done just that, releasing an ultra-detailed image of the Sculptor galaxy on Wednesday obtained with 50 hours of observations using one of the world's biggest telescopes, the European Southern Observatory's Chile-based Very Large Telescope. The image shows Sculptor, also called NGC 253, in around 4000 different colours, each corresponding to a specific wavelength in the optical spectrum. Because various galactic components emit light differently across the spectrum, the observations are providing information at unprecedented detail on the inner workings of an entire galaxy, from star formation to the motion of interstellar gas on large scales. Conventional images in astronomy offer only a handful of colours, providing less information. The researchers used the telescope's Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, or MUSE, instrument. "NGC 253 is close enough that we can observe it in remarkable detail with MUSE, yet far enough that we can still see the entire galaxy in a single field of view," said astronomer Enrico Congiu, a fellow at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago, and lead author of research being published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "That's why NGC 253 is such a perfect target: it acts as a bridge between the ultra-detailed studies of the Milky Way and the large-scale studies of more distant galaxies. It gives us a rare opportunity to connect the small-scale physics with the big-picture view." Sculptor is about 11 million light-years from Earth, making it one of the closest big galaxies to the Milky Way. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km. Like the Milky Way, it is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning it has an elongated structure extending from its nucleus, with spiral arms extending from the ends of the bar. Its diameter of about 88,000 light-years is similar to the Milky Way's, as is its total mass. One major difference is Sculptor's rate of new star formation, estimated to be two to three times greater than that of the Milky Way. Nearly 30 per cent of this star formation is happening near the galaxy's nucleus in what is called a starburst region, as revealed in colourful emissions shown in the new image. The observations have given information on a wide range of properties such as the motion, age and chemical composition of stars and the movement of interstellar gas, an important component of any galaxy. "Since the light from stars is typically bluer if the stars are young or redder if the stars are old, having thousands of colours lets us learn a lot about what stars and populations of stars exist in the galaxy," said astronomer Kathryn Kreckel of Heidelberg University in Germany, a study co-author. "Similarly for the gas, it glows in specific bright emission lines at very specific colours, and tells us about the different elements that exist in the gas, and what is causing it to glow," Kreckel said. The initial research being published from the observations involves planetary nebulae, which are luminous clouds of gas and dust expelled by certain dying stars. Despite their name, they have nothing to do with planets. These nebulae can help astronomers measure the precise distances of faraway galaxies. The researchers marveled at the scientific and aesthetic value of the new view of Sculptor. "I personally find these images amazing," Congiu said. "What amazes me the most is that every time I look at them, I notice something new - another nebula, a splash of unexpected colour or some subtle structure that hints at the incredible physics behind it all." The Sculptor galaxy is similar in many respects to our Milky Way. It is about the same size and mass, with a similar spiral structure. But while it is impossible to get a full view of the Milky Way from the vantage point of Earth because we are inside the galaxy, Sculptor is perfectly positioned for a good look. Astronomers have done just that, releasing an ultra-detailed image of the Sculptor galaxy on Wednesday obtained with 50 hours of observations using one of the world's biggest telescopes, the European Southern Observatory's Chile-based Very Large Telescope. The image shows Sculptor, also called NGC 253, in around 4000 different colours, each corresponding to a specific wavelength in the optical spectrum. Because various galactic components emit light differently across the spectrum, the observations are providing information at unprecedented detail on the inner workings of an entire galaxy, from star formation to the motion of interstellar gas on large scales. Conventional images in astronomy offer only a handful of colours, providing less information. The researchers used the telescope's Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, or MUSE, instrument. "NGC 253 is close enough that we can observe it in remarkable detail with MUSE, yet far enough that we can still see the entire galaxy in a single field of view," said astronomer Enrico Congiu, a fellow at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago, and lead author of research being published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "That's why NGC 253 is such a perfect target: it acts as a bridge between the ultra-detailed studies of the Milky Way and the large-scale studies of more distant galaxies. It gives us a rare opportunity to connect the small-scale physics with the big-picture view." Sculptor is about 11 million light-years from Earth, making it one of the closest big galaxies to the Milky Way. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km. Like the Milky Way, it is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning it has an elongated structure extending from its nucleus, with spiral arms extending from the ends of the bar. Its diameter of about 88,000 light-years is similar to the Milky Way's, as is its total mass. One major difference is Sculptor's rate of new star formation, estimated to be two to three times greater than that of the Milky Way. Nearly 30 per cent of this star formation is happening near the galaxy's nucleus in what is called a starburst region, as revealed in colourful emissions shown in the new image. The observations have given information on a wide range of properties such as the motion, age and chemical composition of stars and the movement of interstellar gas, an important component of any galaxy. "Since the light from stars is typically bluer if the stars are young or redder if the stars are old, having thousands of colours lets us learn a lot about what stars and populations of stars exist in the galaxy," said astronomer Kathryn Kreckel of Heidelberg University in Germany, a study co-author. "Similarly for the gas, it glows in specific bright emission lines at very specific colours, and tells us about the different elements that exist in the gas, and what is causing it to glow," Kreckel said. The initial research being published from the observations involves planetary nebulae, which are luminous clouds of gas and dust expelled by certain dying stars. Despite their name, they have nothing to do with planets. These nebulae can help astronomers measure the precise distances of faraway galaxies. The researchers marveled at the scientific and aesthetic value of the new view of Sculptor. "I personally find these images amazing," Congiu said. "What amazes me the most is that every time I look at them, I notice something new - another nebula, a splash of unexpected colour or some subtle structure that hints at the incredible physics behind it all." The Sculptor galaxy is similar in many respects to our Milky Way. It is about the same size and mass, with a similar spiral structure. But while it is impossible to get a full view of the Milky Way from the vantage point of Earth because we are inside the galaxy, Sculptor is perfectly positioned for a good look. Astronomers have done just that, releasing an ultra-detailed image of the Sculptor galaxy on Wednesday obtained with 50 hours of observations using one of the world's biggest telescopes, the European Southern Observatory's Chile-based Very Large Telescope. The image shows Sculptor, also called NGC 253, in around 4000 different colours, each corresponding to a specific wavelength in the optical spectrum. Because various galactic components emit light differently across the spectrum, the observations are providing information at unprecedented detail on the inner workings of an entire galaxy, from star formation to the motion of interstellar gas on large scales. Conventional images in astronomy offer only a handful of colours, providing less information. The researchers used the telescope's Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, or MUSE, instrument. "NGC 253 is close enough that we can observe it in remarkable detail with MUSE, yet far enough that we can still see the entire galaxy in a single field of view," said astronomer Enrico Congiu, a fellow at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago, and lead author of research being published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "That's why NGC 253 is such a perfect target: it acts as a bridge between the ultra-detailed studies of the Milky Way and the large-scale studies of more distant galaxies. It gives us a rare opportunity to connect the small-scale physics with the big-picture view." Sculptor is about 11 million light-years from Earth, making it one of the closest big galaxies to the Milky Way. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km. Like the Milky Way, it is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning it has an elongated structure extending from its nucleus, with spiral arms extending from the ends of the bar. Its diameter of about 88,000 light-years is similar to the Milky Way's, as is its total mass. One major difference is Sculptor's rate of new star formation, estimated to be two to three times greater than that of the Milky Way. Nearly 30 per cent of this star formation is happening near the galaxy's nucleus in what is called a starburst region, as revealed in colourful emissions shown in the new image. The observations have given information on a wide range of properties such as the motion, age and chemical composition of stars and the movement of interstellar gas, an important component of any galaxy. "Since the light from stars is typically bluer if the stars are young or redder if the stars are old, having thousands of colours lets us learn a lot about what stars and populations of stars exist in the galaxy," said astronomer Kathryn Kreckel of Heidelberg University in Germany, a study co-author. "Similarly for the gas, it glows in specific bright emission lines at very specific colours, and tells us about the different elements that exist in the gas, and what is causing it to glow," Kreckel said. The initial research being published from the observations involves planetary nebulae, which are luminous clouds of gas and dust expelled by certain dying stars. Despite their name, they have nothing to do with planets. These nebulae can help astronomers measure the precise distances of faraway galaxies. The researchers marveled at the scientific and aesthetic value of the new view of Sculptor. "I personally find these images amazing," Congiu said. "What amazes me the most is that every time I look at them, I notice something new - another nebula, a splash of unexpected colour or some subtle structure that hints at the incredible physics behind it all." The Sculptor galaxy is similar in many respects to our Milky Way. It is about the same size and mass, with a similar spiral structure. But while it is impossible to get a full view of the Milky Way from the vantage point of Earth because we are inside the galaxy, Sculptor is perfectly positioned for a good look. Astronomers have done just that, releasing an ultra-detailed image of the Sculptor galaxy on Wednesday obtained with 50 hours of observations using one of the world's biggest telescopes, the European Southern Observatory's Chile-based Very Large Telescope. The image shows Sculptor, also called NGC 253, in around 4000 different colours, each corresponding to a specific wavelength in the optical spectrum. Because various galactic components emit light differently across the spectrum, the observations are providing information at unprecedented detail on the inner workings of an entire galaxy, from star formation to the motion of interstellar gas on large scales. Conventional images in astronomy offer only a handful of colours, providing less information. The researchers used the telescope's Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, or MUSE, instrument. "NGC 253 is close enough that we can observe it in remarkable detail with MUSE, yet far enough that we can still see the entire galaxy in a single field of view," said astronomer Enrico Congiu, a fellow at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago, and lead author of research being published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "That's why NGC 253 is such a perfect target: it acts as a bridge between the ultra-detailed studies of the Milky Way and the large-scale studies of more distant galaxies. It gives us a rare opportunity to connect the small-scale physics with the big-picture view." Sculptor is about 11 million light-years from Earth, making it one of the closest big galaxies to the Milky Way. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km. Like the Milky Way, it is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning it has an elongated structure extending from its nucleus, with spiral arms extending from the ends of the bar. Its diameter of about 88,000 light-years is similar to the Milky Way's, as is its total mass. One major difference is Sculptor's rate of new star formation, estimated to be two to three times greater than that of the Milky Way. Nearly 30 per cent of this star formation is happening near the galaxy's nucleus in what is called a starburst region, as revealed in colourful emissions shown in the new image. The observations have given information on a wide range of properties such as the motion, age and chemical composition of stars and the movement of interstellar gas, an important component of any galaxy. "Since the light from stars is typically bluer if the stars are young or redder if the stars are old, having thousands of colours lets us learn a lot about what stars and populations of stars exist in the galaxy," said astronomer Kathryn Kreckel of Heidelberg University in Germany, a study co-author. "Similarly for the gas, it glows in specific bright emission lines at very specific colours, and tells us about the different elements that exist in the gas, and what is causing it to glow," Kreckel said. The initial research being published from the observations involves planetary nebulae, which are luminous clouds of gas and dust expelled by certain dying stars. Despite their name, they have nothing to do with planets. These nebulae can help astronomers measure the precise distances of faraway galaxies. The researchers marveled at the scientific and aesthetic value of the new view of Sculptor. "I personally find these images amazing," Congiu said. "What amazes me the most is that every time I look at them, I notice something new - another nebula, a splash of unexpected colour or some subtle structure that hints at the incredible physics behind it all."
West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
Nearby Sculptor galaxy revealed in ultra-detail
The Sculptor galaxy is similar in many respects to our Milky Way. It is about the same size and mass, with a similar spiral structure. But while it is impossible to get a full view of the Milky Way from the vantage point of Earth because we are inside the galaxy, Sculptor is perfectly positioned for a good look. Astronomers have done just that, releasing an ultra-detailed image of the Sculptor galaxy on Wednesday obtained with 50 hours of observations using one of the world's biggest telescopes, the European Southern Observatory's Chile-based Very Large Telescope. The image shows Sculptor, also called NGC 253, in around 4000 different colours, each corresponding to a specific wavelength in the optical spectrum. Because various galactic components emit light differently across the spectrum, the observations are providing information at unprecedented detail on the inner workings of an entire galaxy, from star formation to the motion of interstellar gas on large scales. Conventional images in astronomy offer only a handful of colours, providing less information. The researchers used the telescope's Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, or MUSE, instrument. "NGC 253 is close enough that we can observe it in remarkable detail with MUSE, yet far enough that we can still see the entire galaxy in a single field of view," said astronomer Enrico Congiu, a fellow at the European Southern Observatory in Santiago, and lead author of research being published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. "In the Milky Way, we can achieve extremely high resolution, but we lack a global view since we're inside it. For more distant galaxies, we can get a global view, but not the fine detail. "That's why NGC 253 is such a perfect target: it acts as a bridge between the ultra-detailed studies of the Milky Way and the large-scale studies of more distant galaxies. It gives us a rare opportunity to connect the small-scale physics with the big-picture view." Sculptor is about 11 million light-years from Earth, making it one of the closest big galaxies to the Milky Way. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion km. Like the Milky Way, it is a barred spiral galaxy, meaning it has an elongated structure extending from its nucleus, with spiral arms extending from the ends of the bar. Its diameter of about 88,000 light-years is similar to the Milky Way's, as is its total mass. One major difference is Sculptor's rate of new star formation, estimated to be two to three times greater than that of the Milky Way. Nearly 30 per cent of this star formation is happening near the galaxy's nucleus in what is called a starburst region, as revealed in colourful emissions shown in the new image. The observations have given information on a wide range of properties such as the motion, age and chemical composition of stars and the movement of interstellar gas, an important component of any galaxy. "Since the light from stars is typically bluer if the stars are young or redder if the stars are old, having thousands of colours lets us learn a lot about what stars and populations of stars exist in the galaxy," said astronomer Kathryn Kreckel of Heidelberg University in Germany, a study co-author. "Similarly for the gas, it glows in specific bright emission lines at very specific colours, and tells us about the different elements that exist in the gas, and what is causing it to glow," Kreckel said. The initial research being published from the observations involves planetary nebulae, which are luminous clouds of gas and dust expelled by certain dying stars. Despite their name, they have nothing to do with planets. These nebulae can help astronomers measure the precise distances of faraway galaxies. The researchers marveled at the scientific and aesthetic value of the new view of Sculptor. "I personally find these images amazing," Congiu said. "What amazes me the most is that every time I look at them, I notice something new - another nebula, a splash of unexpected colour or some subtle structure that hints at the incredible physics behind it all."
