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NIBAO Releases Photograph Set Commemorating Horizons Anniversary

Dr. Tilly Wong – 13/10/2024
Novella City, Xeles, Novella Islands
Novellan National News Service


200 previously-unreleased images revealed, celebrating 20 years since the seventh and final Horizons observatory was launched

The Horizons program today marks its 20th anniversary of ‘full functionality’, according to a press release this morning by the Novella Islands Bureau of Aerospace Operations (NIBAO). On this day in 2004, the Colbert-Westbrook telescope joined its six siblings in orbit. Carried aboard the Typhoon space shuttle, its entering into service completed the Orbital Observatory Program’s foundational infrastructure requirements.

To commemorate two decades of groundbreaking astronomical discoveries, NIBAO has unveiled a selection of 200 previously unreleased images captured by the Horizons observatories. Spanning the vast expanse of the cosmos, these images showcase unparalleled glimpses into the universe; featuring awe-inspiring nebulae, distant galaxies, and fascinating insights into stellar formation. The Horizons program, instrumental in expanding our understanding of the universe, has provided a steady stream of invaluable data, revolutionising astrophysics and capturing the imaginations of scientists and the public alike.

All seven telescopes are due for a refit as of next year, with the NIBAO Horizons Refit supplementary program expected to continue between 2025 and 2035. This upgrade and maintenance cycle is anticipated to extend their service life for an additional 20 years, although it is hoped that they will continue operating beyond that time.

Our top picks from across the spectrum

Visible light: the Taylor Space Telescope

From approximately 163,000 light-years away, visible light from NGC 2014 (right, red) and NGC 2020 (left, blue) are captured by the Taylor Space Telescope.

Infrared light: the Solomon-Masters Space Telescope

The intricate details of the Tarantula Nebula – and dozens of background galaxies – are revealed in the infrared spectrum by the Solomon-Masters Space Telescope.

Ultraviolet light: the Wembley-Moss-Bennett Space Telescope

Saturn and her rings in the ultraviolet spectrum, captured by the Wembley-Moss-Bennett Space Telescope.

Microwaves: the Yamaguchi-Darling Space Telescope

The cosmic microwave background radiation observed by the Yamaguchi-Darling Space Telescope contributes to our understanding of the origins of the universe.

X-rays: the Holland-Fishman Space Telescope

150,000 light-years from Earth, x-rays from SNR 0519 – the remnants of a white dwarf star gone supernova – are captured by the Holland-Fishman Space Telescope.

Radio waves: the Colbert-Westbrook Space Telescope

The Colbert-Westbrook Space Telescope‘s panoramic shot of the radio waves from the centre of the galaxy reveals the supermassive black hole at its core, along with supernova remnants, star-forming regions, and ‘filament’ structures.

Gamma rays: the Spencer-Garnier Space Telescope

Gamma ray emissions from the Fermi bubbles (magenta) extending above and below the galactic plane (blue), captured by the Spencer-Garnier Space Telescope.

Composite images: bringing all of the telescopes together

Composite image of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant across the spectrums of all seven Horizons space telescopes: Spencer-Garnier (magenta), Holland-Fishman (blue-green), Wembley-Moss-Bennett (green-yellow), Taylor (yellow), Solomon-Masters (red), Yamaguchi-Darling (red-orange), and Colbert-Westbrook (orange).

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