APOD 4.8

This picture of MyCn18: An Hourglass Planetary Nebula, was made an Astronomy Picture of the Day on May 10. Used in studies regarding galactic evolution, this image shows the effects of the exhaustion of nuclear power within the galaxy itself, causing the core to become a white dwarf star.

APOD 4.7

This picture of M51, The Whirlpool Galaxy, was made an Astronomy Picture of the Day on May 2. M51, also known as the Whirlpool Galaxy, and alternatively catalogued as NGC 5195, is located roughly 31 million lightyears away in the Big Dipper asterism.

APOD 4.6

This picture of a Massive Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 2841 was made an Astronomy Picture of the day on April 28. NGC 2841 is one of the most massive galaxies known, located roughly 46 million lightyears away in the northern part of constellation Ursa Major.

APOD 4.5

This picture of Colorful Star Clouds in Cygnus was made an Astronomy Picture of the day on April 22. The image is of a roughly 50-lightyear-wide star-forming region within Cygnus, located near bright star Sadr, in the Gamma Cygni nebula, roughly 1800 lightyears away from Earth.

APOD 4.4

This image of M46 Plus Two was made an Astronomy Picture of the Day on April 17. M46 is a 300-million year-old open cluster, located roughly 5000 lightyears away in the constellation Puppis. Also pictured are planetary nebula NGC 2438 and PK231+4.1.

APOD 4.3

This picture of NGC 2903 was made an Astronomy Picture of the Day on April 10. Located in Leonis, this spiral galaxy is known as its 'sickle', a jewel of the constellation 20 million lightyears away from Earth.

APOD 4.2

This image of M97 and M108 was made an Astronomy Picture of the Day on April 2. The image was accompanied by this poem by Edward Lear-
The Owl and the Galaxy sail these skies
With blue and yellow star.
They go together beneath the Big Dipper,
If you wonder where they are.
The Galaxy's light shines through the night,
Ten millions of light-years away.
But never fear the Owl is near,
Inside the Milky Way.
A cosmic shroud, the Owl is proud,
its central star a must.
And the spiral Galaxy lies on edge
To show off all its dust,
Its dust,
Its dust,
To show off all its dust.

APOD 4.1

This picture of NGC 2403 was made an Astronomy Picture of the Day on March 27. Located in the constellation Camelopardalis about 10 million lightyears away, the constellation is roughly 50,000 lightyears across and is formed mostly of HII.