Deep Space explores the most distant, extreme, and mysterious regions of the universe.
From the earliest galaxies formed after the Big Bang to powerful magnetars, cosmic voids, and interacting star systems, this collection highlights some of the most fascinating discoveries made by modern astronomy.
About this collection
Each image in this Deep Space gallery is accompanied by a short explanation describing the object, its physical processes, and its significance in our understanding of the universe.
All descriptions are based on observations from leading observatories such as NASA, ESA, Hubble, and the James Webb Space Telescope.
The Orion Constellation
A visualization of the movement of stars in the Orion constellation over the next 450,000 years.
The animation is based on data obtained by the European satellite Gaia. Using this instrument, distances to millions of stars were measured, and the values of the stars’ own velocities were obtained.
What you’re seeing
Alpha Orionis, or Betelgeuse, is noticeable at the beginning of the animation in the upper center. The well-known Orion’s Belt will hardly change its appearance over the next 450,000 years. The bright orange star appearing in the lower right corner is Alpha Tauri, or Aldebaran. In this corner, you can also notice a drifting cluster of stars – the Hyades open cluster.