Cosmic Perspectives from Amid the Stars:
Astronomy Blog

Nebulae are among the most visually stunning sights in our universe. A nebula is simply a cloud of gas and dust found in outer space, and their varied shapes and colors make them spectacular phenomena for night sky viewing. They also play important roles in the life cycle of stars, as both a place of birth and a place of death.

Have you ever wondered where to point your telescope? If you’ve ever looked into a listing of astronomical objects, you’ve likely noticed that many of the galaxies, nebulae, and more are labeled with an M followed by a number. That means the object in question is part of the Messier Catalog, a listing of 110 astronomical objects used worldwide that features some of the best targets for any telescope.

"The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself." -Carl Sagan When Carl Sagan delivered his famous quote on his TV series “Cosmos,” he wasn’t just being poetic; he was making a literal statement. We are literally made of material that comes from stars. But how? Let’s dive into the meaning of this famous quote.

There is an estimated septillion stars in the observable universe (that’s a one followed by 24 zeroes). They’re everywhere you look and come in all sorts of varieties. Every star is unique, but they all follow a similar life cycle. A star is a ball of gas, usually hydrogen and helium, that is so dense, it can fuse that hydrogen into heavier elements, creating energy. Depending on its size and rate of fusion, a star can live anywhere from a few million years to trillions of