Hubble Rises From the Ashes as Phoenix Fades

The Hubble Space Telescope is back working! And just to strut it's stuff check out its first image.


This pair of galaxies is known as Arp 147 (from Halton Arp's list of peculiar galaxies) and has been dubbed the Perfect 10. The galaxy on the left seems to have just plowed through the middle of the galaxy on the right setting off a round of star formation (massive young stars tend to be nice and blue like you see in the ring).

On a sad note, the Phoenix Mars Lander entered safe mode due to low power. It is heading toward winter in the northern hemisphere on Mars and the lander is getting less power (possibly compounded by dust building up on the soalr panels). They are shutting down various heaters on it and other instruments to save power and keep it going as long as possible. We knew this was coming. Soon the Sun will set for the long winter. Snow will probably build up on the solar panels and break them so no one really expects it to wake up again in the spring. It has been a good mission, achieved all its goals and a few bonuses, and has lasted longer than its original 90 day mission.

Phoenix has served us well.

Reprinted with permission form the Half-Astrophysicist Blog.