It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, we’re not talking about Christmas music on the radio or twinkling lights in the neighborhood, but something far more remarkable: the stunning sight of a Christmas Tree Cluster and Celestial Snow Globe in space!
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope recently captured two incredible images of the intergalactic treasures that have appeared just in time for the holiday season. The Christmas Tree Cluster, also known by its scientific moniker NGC 2264, is formed by a group of young stars in the constellation of Monoceros.
The cheerful cluster is shaped like a Christmas tree, with bright, blue stars in the ornaments. The glowing shape of the stars illuminates the interstellar dust of the nebula, giving it a warm, festive look. The whole image looks like a twinkling snow globe you can almost imagine opening up and holding in your hands!
The second image is that of the celestial snow globe. Malin 1, as it is called by astronomers, is located in the galaxy located some 500 million light years away from earth. Though this galaxy normally appears boring and nondescript, a closer look reveals a ghostly spiral structure that forms an otherworldly snow globe. The galaxy is surrounded by its halo of old stars that create the effect of the snowflakes and tiny stars that would accompany a traditional snow globe.
For anyone who has ever dreamed of glimpsing something unreal and out of this world, these two images are ideal. Not only do they feature an explosion of colors and stars, but they are the perfect combination of an age-old holiday tradition and the mysteries of space.
Whether these images make for a festive backdrop or just remind you of the wonderful universe we live in, one thing is certain: after seeing these spectacular images of the Christmas Tree Cluster and Celestial Snow Globe, you might just find yourself appreciating the beauty of the universe today.
