This smattering of celestial sequins is a spiral galaxy named NGC 4455, located in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair). This might sound like an odd name for a constellation — and in fact it is somewhat unusual. It’s the only modern constellation named in honor of a real person from history: Queen Berenice II of Egypt. via NASA https://ift.tt/36mb4i1

Stars glitter in the night sky above the Earth’s atmospheric glow. via NASA https://ift.tt/2ZOTPmT

NGC 4258, a galaxy about 23 million light years away, is the site of impressive, ongoing fireworks. via NASA https://ift.tt/36jMD4U

This loose collections of stars, known as an open star cluster, is image 100 of the Caldwell catalog. via NASA https://ift.tt/2tZEcx6

NASA astronaut Christina Koch makes observations from the International space Station’s cupola. via NASA https://ift.tt/39bcL3w

The Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco formed as a result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 80 million years ago. via NASA https://ift.tt/2ZoF0qU

The newly revealed infant stars appear as pink and red specks toward the center and appear to have formed in regularly spaced intervals along linear structures. via NASA https://ift.tt/35QZqLP

​This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows IC 2051, a galaxy in the southern constellation of Mensa (the Table Mountain) lying about 85 million light-years away. It is a spiral galaxy, as evidenced by its characteristic whirling, pinwheeling arms, and it has a bar of stars slicing through its center. via NASA https://ift.tt/2PI3F6T

This week in 1999, space shuttle Discovery, mission STS-103, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. via NASA https://ift.tt/38QQgRl

As the holiday season approaches, people in the northern hemisphere will gather indoors to stay warm. In keeping with the season, astronomers have studied two groups of galaxies that are rushing together and producing their own warmth. via NASA https://ift.tt/35vY0WF