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                                    | Galaxy Types                                      The  most widely used classification scheme for galaxies is based on  one  devised by Edwin P. Hubble and further refined by astronomer Gerard  de  Vaucouleurs. It uses the three main types, and then further breaks  them  down by specific characteristics (openness of spirals, size and  extent  of bars, size of galactic bulges). In this age of  multi-wavelength  observing, the subclassifications also include markers  for such  characteristics as a galaxy’s star-formation rate and age  spectrum of  its stars. Spiral GalaxiesSpiral  galaxies are the most common type in the universe. Our Milky Way is a  spiral, as the rather close-by Andromeda Galaxy.  Spirals are large  rotating disks of stars and nebulae, surrounded by a  shell of dark  matter. The central bright region at the core of a galaxy  is called the  “galactic bulge”. Many spirals have a halo of stars and  star clusters  arrayed above and below the disk. Spirals that have large,  bright bars  of stars and material cutting across their central sections  are called  “barred spirals”. A large majority of galaxies have these  bars, and  astronomers study them to understand what function they play  within the  galaxy. In addition to bars, many spirals may also contain   supermassive black holes  in their cores. Subgroups of spirals are  defined by the characteristics  of their bulges, spiral arms, and how  tightly wound those arms are. Elliptical GalaxiesElliptical  galaxies are roughly egg-shaped (ellipsoidal or ovoid)  found largely  in galaxy clusters and smaller compact groups. Most  ellipticals contain  older, low-mass stars, and because they lack a great  deal of  star-making gas and dust clouds, there is little new star  formation  occurring in them. Ellipticals can have as few as a hundred  million to  perhaps a hundred trillion stars, and they can range in size  from a few  thousand light-years across to more than a few hundred  thousand.  Astronomers now suspect that every elliptical has a central   supermassive black hole that is related to the mass of the galaxy   itself. Messier 87 is  an example of an elliptical galaxy. There are  some subgroups of  ellipticals, including “dwarf ellipticals” with  properties that put them  somewhere between regular ellipticals and the  tightly knit groups of  stars called globular clusters. Irregular GalaxiesIrregular  galaxies are as their name suggests: irregular in shape.  The best  example of an irregular that can be seen from Earth is the Small  Magellanic Cloud.  Irregulars usually do not have enough structure to  characterize them as  spirals or ellipticals. They may show some bar  structure, they may have  active regions of star formation, and some  smaller ones are listed as  “dwarf irregulars”, very similar to the very  earliest galaxies that  formed about 13.5 billion years ago. Irregulars  are characterized by  their structures (or lack of them). |  
 
                            
                                
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                                    |  What is a Solar Eclipse?A  solar eclipse is a natural event that takes place on Earth when the   Moon moves in its orbit between Earth and the Sun (this is also known   as an occultation). It happens at New Moon, when the Sun and Moon are in   conjunction with each other. If the Moon was only slightly closer to   Earth, and orbited in the same plane and its orbit was circular, we   would see eclipses each month. The lunar orbit is elliptical and tilted   with respect to Earth’s orbit, so we can only see up to 5 eclipses per   year. Depending on the geometry of the Sun, Moon and Earth, the Sun can   be totally blocked, or it can be partially blocked. During  an eclipse, the Moon’s shadow (which is divided into two  parts: the  dark umbra and the lighter penumbra) moves across Earth’s  surface.  Safety note: do NOT ever look at the Sun directly during an  eclipse  unless it is during a total solar eclipse. The bright light of  the Sun  can damage your eyes very quickly. Total Solar EclipseA  total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon completely blocks the  solar  disk. In a total solar eclipse, the narrowest part of the path  (where  the Sun is completely blocked and the Moon casts its darkest  shadow  (called the umbra)) is called the “zone of totality”. Observers  in this path see a darkened Sun (often described as a “hole  in the  sky”) with the ghostly glow of the solar corona extending out to  space.  A phenomenon called “Bailey’s Beads” often appears as sunlight  shines  out through valleys on the lunar surface. If the Sun is active,   observers can also see solar prominences, loops, and flares during   totality. A total solar eclipse is the ONLY time when it is safe to look   directly at the Sun. ALL other solar observations (even in partial   phases) require special solar filters so that you do not harm your eyes. Total  solar eclipses have not always been visible from Earth. In the  past,  the Moon was too close to Earth and during eclipses it completely   blotted out the Sun’s disk. Over time, the lunar orbit has changed at   the rate of just over 2 cm per year and in the current epoch, the   alignment is nearly perfect at times. However, the Moon’s orbit will   continue to widen, and in perhaps 600 million years, total solar   eclipses will no longer occur. Instead, future observers will see   partial and annular eclipses only.
 Annular Solar EclipseNot  every solar eclipse is a total one. When the Moon is farther away  in  its orbit than usual, it appears too small to completely cover the   Sun’s disk. During such an event, a bright ring of sunlight shines   around the Moon. This type of eclipse is a called an “annular” eclipse.   It comes from the Latin word “annulus” which means “ring”. The  period of annularity during such an eclipse can last anywhere  from 5  or 6 minutes to up to 12 minutes. However, even though the Sun is   mostly covered by the Moon, enough bright sunlight escapes during   annularity that observers cannot ever look at the Sun directly. These   events require eye protection throughout the entire eclipse. Partial Solar EclipseA  partial solar eclipse occurs when Earth moves through the lunar   penumbra (the lighter part of the Moon’s shadow) as the Moon moves   between Earth and the Sun. The Moon does not block the entire solar   disk, as seen from Earth. Depending on your location during a partial   eclipse, you might see anything from a small sliver of the Sun being   blotted out to a nearly total eclipse. To  view any eclipse safely, use approved filters or use an indirect   method of viewing, such as projecting sunlight through a telescope and   onto a white piece of paper or cardboard. NEVER look at the Sun through a   telescope unless it has the appropriate filter. Blindness and severe   eye damage can result due to improper observation technique.
  
 When is the next Solar Eclipse?Eclipses  can occur each year, and they are predictable. There are  several  places online where you can get up-to-date calendars for all the  types  of solar eclipses. 
                                        mreclipse.com – MrEclipse.com   is the page of retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak. He provides a   wealth of information about both solar and lunar eclipses.eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov – The NASA Eclipse Web Site is the official NASA site for eclipse information.  
                                        timeanddate.com – Timeanddate is a reliable source of eclipse calendars for both solar and lunar eclipses. Facts about Solar Eclipses
                                        Depending on the geometry of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, there can be between 2 and 5 solar eclipses each year.Totality occurs when the Moon completely obscures Sun so only the solar corona is showing.A total solar eclipse can happen once every 1-2 years. This makes them very rare events.If  you lived at the North or South Pole, you would see only partial  solar  eclipses. People in other parts of the world can see partial,  total,  annular, and hybrid eclipses.The longest a total solar eclipse can last is 7.5 minutes.The  width of the path of totality is usually about 160 km across and  can  sweep across an area of Earth’s surface about 10,000 miles long.Almost identical eclipses occur after 18 years and 11 days. This period of 223 synodic months is called a saros.During  a total solar eclipse, conditions in the path of totality can  change  quickly. Air temperatures drop and the immediate area becomes  dark.  
                                        If any planets are in the sky at the time of a total solar eclipse, they can be seen as points of light. 
  
 
  
 
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                                    | LIFE ON  PLANETS A   planet , meaning "wandering star", is a celestial body orbiting a star   or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own   gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has   cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.
 
   | THE Vs V   (also known as V: The Series) is a one-hour weekly television series   that aired in the United States on NBC in 1984-85. It is a continuation   of the science fiction franchise about an alien invasion of Earth by a   carnivorous race of reptilians known as "The Visitors"
 
   | THE MOON LANDING Apollo   11 was the spaceflight that landed the first humans, Americans Neil   Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, on the Moon on July 20, 1969, at 20:18 UTC.   Armstrong became the first to step onto the lunar surface 6 hours later   on July 21 at 02:56 UTC.
 
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                                    | THE MARS LANDING A Mars landing   is a landing of a spacecraft on the surface of Mars. Of multiple   attempted Mars landings by robotic, unmanned spacecraft, seven were   successful.There have also been studies for a possible manned mission to   Mars, including a landing, but none have been attempted
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    | UFO LANDINGS UNDER CONTRUCTION
 
 
    | THE ENTERPRISE This   website proposes something truly inspiring. It is this: We have the   technological reach to build the first generation of the spaceship known   as the USS Enterprise – so let’s do it. The ship can be similar in  size  and will have the same look as the USS Enterprise that we know  from the  Star Trek science fiction.
 
 
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                                    | BEST UFO RESOURCESIf the only strange   things seen in the sky were a few oddly moving lights at night, or  some  specks glinting in the sun, there would be no UFO issue. But there  have  been many close range observations of these strange objects. Often by multiple witnesses and sometimes with radar confirmation.
 
   | THE BEST UFO LINKS NATIONAL UFO
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 In continuous operation since 1974.
 
 
   | THE BEST UFO LINKS WORLD UFO PHOTOS
 This Site has over 4,500 of the best Ufo Photos in the world...WORLD UFO PHOTOS ORG
 
  
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