Close encounter with a cluster

Delmar Fairchild, Barron, WI — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:35:15 GMT

So close, yet so far away!

Has anyone ever figured the chances a human would actually visit another solar system or a galaxy such as Andromeda (OK, BEFORE, it hits us)?

With the Human presence on Earth for such a short time span and the odds we will not survive as long as we have already been here, (meaning we may be more than half way through our species' time on Earth), and the speed it would take to get to even our closet solar system, I think the chances are zero.

We will probably get to the end of our solar system, but unless we just make a space ship, inhabit it with volunteer humans and send it out on a course to intercept the nearest solar system and then so on to Andromeda, I think the odds are very small or non existent we will ever leave our solar system or the Milky Way galaxy.

I hope I am wrong but would like to hear some other input on the chances.

Close encounter with a cluster

Larry C, Durant, Ok — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:19:02 GMT

Thats amazing! I wish they had pics this clear on GalaxyZoo.org!

Close encounter with a cluster

ruben,elwood,ind — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:20:27 GMT

it is so ccol

Close encounter with a cluster

Frank Lewis, Riverside,CA — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:25:22 GMT

WOW....always enjoyed what the Hubble has shown us!!

Close encounter with a cluster

Dave, Somewhere, USA — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:29:08 GMT

cool!

Close encounter with a cluster

todd,olympia,washington — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:32:38 GMT

that picture is tight!

Close encounter with a cluster

mark g wilson san diego ca — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:34:55 GMT

hi my name is mark wilson i was looking at this page ... looks to me gravity making elliptical events you never said the source in your publications

Close encounter with a cluster

mancehster vermont — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:36:10 GMT

This is the coolest thing I seen. But how do you know its reality, it may be fake.

Close encounter with a cluster

Carole Clarke — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:36:20 GMT

Have never seen better abstract art - and its all real. Thank you Hubble - you have literally opened up the universe to us.

Close encounter with a cluster

Sue Collins — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:36:58 GMT

I am totally amazed at how much scientists are learning about the Universe. That and the fact that the images are breathtakingly beautiful makes Astronomy one of my favorite sciences. And I can't help wondering who lives out there. Even if there is only one intelligent civilization per galaxy, that still makes for a lot of "others" out there somewhere. I hope our galaxy is as pretty to their "eyes" or whatever they use for optical sensors, as theirs is to us. Thank you for the information and beautiful photos. Hubble, you rock!

Close encounter with a cluster

Billy Passarella,Price, Utah — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:44:22 GMT

Let's put NASA on hold for a few decades & put that money in our own back yard .

Close encounter with a cluster

JJ, Millet, Alberta — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:56:23 GMT

Wow! So pretty! I wish I could go to another galaxy....

Close encounter with a cluster

Tom — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:57:25 GMT

I'll go...please call me.

Close encounter with a cluster

Rachel,nun,ya — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:57:43 GMT

I think it's amzingly awesome! God is so awesome!

Close encounter with a cluster

Ed Frias — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:58:39 GMT

Sure, then we can spend that money on 52" LCD TVs, blu-ray players, and veg out watching American Idol and TMZ.

Close encounter with a cluster

leonidas,fargo,nd — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:59:04 GMT

Billy P from Utah ------nay; NASA-------yeah!

Close encounter with a cluster

mica lennox — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:59:51 GMT

all thing,s are possable yes nasa can be expencive but i would reather see money spent on nasa then in some politiction,s pocket,s in time not in my lifetime but i would like to think that space travel would one day be possable

Close encounter with a cluster

Beth, Houston, Texas — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:02:46 GMT

whoa - that is so cool!!!! i am obsessed with space, though, so i think evrything 'bout it iz cool. sweet!

Close encounter with a cluster

John Doe, Seattle, Wash — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:04:50 GMT

an optimist, like myself, would think that the human race is still in its infant stages. Think if we progress intellectual thought for another thousand years? Or a Million years? People that lived a thousand years ago couldn't comperhend what life is like today. Nor can we comperhend what life will be like for future generations.

Close encounter with a cluster

Bob Coma — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:05:20 GMT

Hey Delmar Fairchild,

search for 'The Reptilian Agenda' on GoogleTV.

Peace and Blessings.

Close encounter with a cluster

poo — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:06:07 GMT

cool

Close encounter with a cluster

Wes, Beaverton Oregon — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:06:57 GMT

I believe that we need to invest in the space program as much as possible. With our natural resources limited we need to find a way to leave the Earth and find another resources. If we do not do this we will have to make lots of changes since some things will no longer exist. I encourage you to think of what we are consuming today and then think about 100, 500 or more years from now.

Close encounter with a cluster

Jamtor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:07:21 GMT

Truly amazing. To be able to look at something so far away....Makes you wonder if indeed there is inteligent life out there and if so, will we experience it in our life time...

Close encounter with a cluster

Pat Davin Boston United States Of America — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:08:31 GMT

That is o breath taking!! I can`t wait to become a scientest!!!

Close encounter with a cluster

Melissa Burgoyne, Sterling, MI — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:11:33 GMT

that is so cool!!!

Close encounter with a cluster

gail — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:12:09 GMT

breathtaking!

Close encounter with a cluster

James — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:14:58 GMT

The universe is full of surprises ! There are life in the universe. The problem is they are too far away from us and we humans will never ever have a chance to encounter !

Close encounter with a cluster

Francine Valencia ,Tucson, Arizona.( : — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:16:06 GMT

STARS OF SPACE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WORLDS AND SPEICIES PEOPLE DONT KNOW ABOUT. FOR I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF ALIENS OUT THERE TO DISCOVER AND MEET. US HUMANS STILL NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLDS WE SEE AND BELIEVE, BUT WE STILL NEED TO LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES. I BELIEVE SPACE IS BEAUTIFUL FROM THIS AMAZING PICTURE WHICH IS OUR HOME.PEOPLE NEED TO SEE AND BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE OTHER WORLDS OUT THERE AND THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE. I AM GLAD TO SEE THIS IMAGE FOR IT GIVES ME MORE FAITH TO BELIEVE.

Close encounter with a cluster

marcos mercedes, new york — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:16:35 GMT

NASA should use the hubble's telescope more often in science.

Close encounter with a cluster

Pachecosita, Los Angeles, CA — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:19:47 GMT

I can't wait for the Telescope that is going to detect Gamma ray starting later this month. All the new information fro our Universe is going to be over the top. We are living in a great time of discoveries. And we are understanding our place in this Cosmos. Wao!!!!

Close encounter with a cluster

Dave Beaulieu — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:21:18 GMT

The endless universe, probably teeming with life, in all its awe and splendor. There may even be intelligent life out there somewhere. With all of our technology, I'm sad to say none here though. Alas, from the viewpoint of an intelligent lifeform looking in on us, they most certainly see a population of parasites feeding off of this planet by a lifeform that commits atrocities and genocide among their own species in paranoic fear.

What would you think if you were looking in on us?

Close encounter with a cluster

mike ivanov, Ontario, Toronto — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:24:35 GMT

wait a minute, who took this picture?

Close encounter with a cluster

nikki lakewood washington — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:25:22 GMT

Just think how the universe is a piece art work for the world to see. How cool is that?

Close encounter with a cluster

Frank Andrus 13528 Leibacher ave. Norwalk, CA. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:26:11 GMT

These pictures show how small and insignificant mankind really is, religion will tell you this was all done just for us, man's ego never ceases to amaze me.

Close encounter with a cluster

Dennis Kern, Coplay, Pa. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:36:52 GMT

(Isaiah 40:22) 22 There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth, the dwellers in which are as grasshoppers, the One who is stretching out the heavens just as a fine gauze, who spreads them out like a tent in which to dwell,
And this--(Isaiah 40:26) 26 “Raise YOUR eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one [of them] is missing. This is what the Bible says about our creator. And notice this--(Psalm 147:4) 4 He is counting the number of the stars; All of them he calls by [their] names.
Can you imagine every star has a name. Yet God knows their names.
When we see the works of his hands , this is truly amazing.

Close encounter with a cluster

Clark K. Parks 163 East Elva Idaho Falls,ID 83402 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:39:57 GMT

Hi,
My name is Clark K. Parks and I really believe there are other people "out there" just like us. There are so many star systems that it has to be true. The only problem is I think they have the same problem we do. How do you get from point A to point B in a short enough time to make it worth while ??

Close encounter with a cluster

Patricia Nevil, Los Angeles, CA — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:08:28 GMT

it is wonderful to wonder! I believe is possible to reach such distances, we are just not there yet in technology however we are growing faster and faster as we get to know more. Thanks to the Hubble for such a beautiful picture. I hope that for the time we can reach other worlds, we had learn to live in ours in peace with one an other and learn to respect Mother Earth.

Close encounter with a cluster

Arlene — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:09:30 GMT

This is awesome!!!!! The world is so full of wonders of the universe.

Close encounter with a cluster

r. carter, corinth, miss. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:11:23 GMT

It's so, so unimaginable, it's unimaginable.

Close encounter with a cluster

Leo — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:19:51 GMT

I am amazed at all the wonders we see in space.
How we can see so far from earth is unbeivable.
We are only a dot in all the wonders of space.
We are so small no body knows we are here.
The light years distance is so vast it just blows your mind. It is a fact no one will ever visit out that far. I am glad i get to see some of it now.
I have seen a lot of wonders that millions of people have never seen. i am thankful for that.Hope to see, a lot more wonders

Close encounter with a cluster

martin, brantford, on — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:30:08 GMT

Delmar, unless we humans can find a way to bend space time we are doomed. IMO, There is other life out there, it probably exists on a level that our eyes cannot even see or our minds comprehend.

Close encounter with a cluster

turiddhu staten island ny — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:31:16 GMT

the odds are very small as we look at the problem at this particular time , but man unless he screws it up real bad should have at least a good couple of thousand years left on the planet and if you think that only about a hundred years ago we didn't even have airplanes let alone rockets to the moon and planets then you really start thinking that anything is possible.

Close encounter with a cluster

turiddhu staten island ny — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:37:02 GMT

could anyone tell me if astronomers have been able to figure out a re-enactment and possible consequences of the eventual collision between andromeda and the milky way? will our solar system if it still exists survive the collision?

Close encounter with a cluster

DAVID MCDONALD — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:05:47 GMT

WHAT IS THE STAROVER MEMPHIS TENN. I SEE IT EVERY CLEAR NIGHT AND WISH TO KNOW ITS NAME

Close encounter with a cluster

KD, Woodinville, WA — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:37:58 GMT

I am so happy to see MSNBC putting up so many space oriented stories. No other mainstream media outlet seems to give much a care. Please keep this stuff coming.

Close encounter with a cluster

Phnx1 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:49:38 GMT

The picture you are seeing is the galaxy as it existed 300 million years ago! the whole thing could be destroyed by now, but we won't ever know. We can't even visit the nearest star 4 light years away.

We only have our tiny world, we can't live anywhere else no matter what you see on TV. Research should continue, of course, but we need to mature spiritually and live as one species...even all the wonders of the universe are insignificant if we can't achieve that.

Close encounter with a cluster

Steve, Anderson, SC — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:54:45 GMT

IMPRESSIVE!!

Close encounter with a cluster

Ron Wohl, Gainesville, Fl — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 02:57:08 GMT

I do so enjoy the aspect of laymen being involved in the mysteries of the Cosmos. I have been an avid fan of these new findings over the last 60 years even though I was never involved in this field professionally. My only suggestion was to try and impress on the reader what an incredibly small area of the sky you have pictured here. Some years ago when I saw the original very deep space Hubble picture of the small dime-sized area of the sky which showed about 200 "stars" in that narrow field, the real shock came when none of them were identified as stars. They were all galaxies. I assume this picture is also an intensely small area that exhibits such a vast aray of galaxies. That point seems to have gotten lost here.

Close encounter with a cluster

KathyG.,Madison,Wi. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:02:15 GMT

THANK YOU!HUBBLE!! YOU WILL ALWAYS BE OUR 1st SET OF EYES.IT MAKES US FEEL SO MUCH EMOTION,I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THERE TO BE MORE. THRU HUBBLE OUR IMAGINATION OPENS AGAIN.

Close encounter with a cluster

Steven Roach — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:09:43 GMT

Warp drive and speed required to take us to other galaxies is almost here, now that a group of Berkeley scientists actually captured a light particle not too far off into the distant future we will be going to those systems.

Close encounter with a cluster

John Robledo, New Braunfels, TX — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:22:03 GMT

Thank you to Hubble and all those who helped keep up there. Words cannot describe.

Close encounter with a cluster

Upset Mac User — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:22:11 GMT

TOO BAD IT COSTS $300 TO VIEW THE IMAGE, because you need to have Windows to be able to open the page!Who knew that Hubble's magnificent images were only viewable on the worst operating system on the market, Microsoft Windows. Too bad for all the MAC and Linux users out there.....

What happened to honest journalism that wasn't funded by big companies????

Close encounter with a cluster

Richard, Utah — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:24:02 GMT

When we lived in Az, we visited the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. They have constructed a scale model of our solar system where you start at the sun and the inner solar system and you finish at Pluto. I can't remember the distance from Sun to Pluto in the model, but it was about a city block long (couple hundred feet). When you reach Pluto they have a sign that says if you want to travel to the star nearest to our Sun (a mere 4 light years away) on the same scale you would have to walk to Boise Idaho. A distance which feels much further when you consider that it only took a few minutes to walk from the Sun to Pluto in the model. In other words, at that scale, your walking speed is *much* faster than the fastest space probe which take decades to travel to Pluto. Now consider the 2 million light years to Andromeda, not to mention to any of our "closest" neighbors on our arm of the Milky Way.

Close encounter with a cluster

John Doe, Seattle, Wash. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:25:14 GMT

For those people that say we should not spend money on space but in "our own back yard"... people... seriously... we are not flying dollar bills into space and launching it into the sun. The money we spend on space exploration typically goes to American aerospace companies, American engineers, etc. You see where I'm going with this. The money stays on earth and circulates in our own economy in a meaningful way.

Close encounter with a cluster

CLC King — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:27:24 GMT

Replying to the comment of "Delmar Fairchild, Barron, WI," giving in to hopeless resignation in dealing with the vastness of space, (to which I might add the lethal nature of much interstellar radiation), I'd like to point out the "impossibility"of reaching the moon even whilst 16th C. Leonardo da Vinci was speculating on the possibility of single winged heavier than air aircraft. I myself have been speculating on the possibility of forms of travel unlikely to be realized in this Century but which require nothing more than a very detailed knowledge of your target destination. The calculations involved are probably beyond present human capability, but I'd need someone to tell me why my speculations are not theoretically possible, based on Russel and Frege's observations on axiomatic mathematics. All I'm trying to suggest is embodied in a 60's lyric which went, "Things get a little easier, once you understand!" When I was a boy one of my teachers scoffed at the biblical notion of any entity which could store and access detailed information on every human being who ever walked the planet. Nowadays that's not such an impossible concept, technically, whether we believe it or not!!

Close encounter with a cluster

Alan Boyle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:29:44 GMT

Sorry about that, Upset Mac User. You can still see the zoomable image from HubbleSite by clicking on this URL:

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/
releases/2008/24/image/a/format/zoom/

... Absolutely free.

Close encounter with a cluster

Charles King, Medford, MA — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:30:07 GMT

Replying to the comment of "Delmar Fairchild, Barron, WI," giving in to hopeless resignation in dealing with the vastness of space, (to which I might add the lethal nature of much interstellar radiation, I'd like to point out the "impossibility"of reaching the moon even whilst 16th C. Leonardo da Vinci was speculating on the possibility of single winged heavier than air aircraft. I myself have been speculating on the possibility of forms of travel unlikely to be realized in this Century but which require nothing more than a very detailed knowledge of your target destination. The calculations involved are probably beyond present human capability, but I'd need someone to tell me why my speculations are not theoretically possible, based on Russel and Frege's observations on axiomatic mathematics. All I'm trying to suggest is embodied in a 60's lyric which went, "Things get a little easier, once you understand!" When I was a boy one of my teachers scoffed at the biblical notion of any entity which could contain detailed information on every human being who ever walked the planet. Nowadays that's not such an impossible concept, technically, whether we believe it or not!!

Close encounter with a cluster

Peter Hallum — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:34:21 GMT

Nice picture.. I do like "Science and Technology" headlines on the front page on occasion but could you make the fact that this article was, in large part, just a plug for the "HD viewer" a little less obvious?

Close encounter with a cluster

Charles King, Medford, MA — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:43:03 GMT

I forgot to add, in case anyone thought I was suggesting something easy, that my theory for new means of propulsion which would make distance irrelevant would require expanded explanations of theories of continua, and Einstein's speculations on what he called, "Spooky action at a distance."

Close encounter with a cluster

Glenn, St. Louis, MO — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:50:46 GMT

So this just happened, some would have us believe, with a BIG BANG. Where did the energy/matter come from for the BANG? It had no beginning and it is has no end. Sounds like the definition of God, doesn't it yet folks that believe in God as Creator are riduculed for their intellectual foolishness.

We must choose in what or in Whom we will believe. We know so little with certainty that faith is a component whatever you believe.

Close encounter with a cluster

Emery Rudolph, Owings Mills, Maryland — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:50:50 GMT

Delmar,

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your viewpoint, we cannot foresee our future accomplishments with regard to technology and more importantly our understanding of physics. If I were to make my predictions based on our present level of technology, then yes, we are most certainly doomed. Our paths and ideas are bound by our present understanding of the laws of physics, so we have no concept of building to break those laws, thus we cannot move fast enough to travel or build a craft to support us for the time needed to reach another galaxy.

And what would the point be? Going to Andromeda is much less reasonable than exploring our own huge galaxy. As it stands, man has about 500k years left before the sun begins to expand and our earthly temps start to rise to hellish levels. So our only hope is that in the future, man confirms the existence of worm holes and has the power to control and exploit them. If not, we will be a burnt ember and eventually a frozen pebble approaching absolute zero.

Close encounter with a cluster

Eric B, Phoenix, AZ — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:01:57 GMT

This is in response to Delmar Fairchilds post.We will probably expore the nearest solar systems the same way we have this one with very advanced robotic explorers, and by the time we are ready for that they should have at least a rudimentary self awareness/conciousness so as to be able to react to any situation that it comes across.Even the unlikely possibility it encounters intelligent life out there. The immense distances and the extreme lengths of these missions means it will probably be centuries before we have a good picture of our nearest neighbors. Anything farther out probably will be out of reach for us with the systems accelerating away from each other as they are.

Close encounter with a cluster

Susan, Boston — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:09:30 GMT

so earth is like the '300 million light years ago' planet for others?! Cool!
God ROCKS!

Close encounter with a cluster

Alan Boyle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:12:44 GMT

Again, I'd like to emphasize that this particular image can be zoomed into with any Flash-enabled browser via the HubbleSite. And the HubbleSite has lots more images that are zoomable. Here are a couple of links that will help you find them:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=zoomable+site%3Ahubblesite.org

http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=zoomable+site%3Ahubblesite.org&form=QBLH

Close encounter with a cluster

Dennis T., Mesa, AZ — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:17:49 GMT

This is absolulety the greatest thing since peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. I am wowed, breathless and my heart is racing with excitment about the possibilites of HD and viewing more stellar cosmos photos. Great!

Close encounter with a cluster

The Dude — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:20:06 GMT

Its a shame that MSNBC purposely ignores Linux web browsers, including Firefox, when they are perfectly capable of rendering this exact same image. Shame on MSNBC's web staff!

Close encounter with a cluster

D.Sanchez,Hong Kong, China — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:40:26 GMT

Thank you NASA...you make my day! It's so amazing.

Close encounter with a cluster

K Ukerwood, Redmond Wash — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:48:39 GMT

I have a newer PC and it meets all the system requirements, but I get the message "Could not create scene from file." Any fixes for this?

Close encounter with a cluster

Chris Dias, Budapest, Hungary (American - moved) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:03:57 GMT

Science has given us the ability to not only see the outer reaches of the galaxy, but to move off this tiny rock we call Earth. Many factors such as the survival of the species, learning about new resources and techniques that add to our standards of living, maths and physics will also help us secure the health of earth. This planet is too small. For the human race not only to survive but to succeed with positive results and positive feelings that drive us, we are taking the right steps. NASA is also encouraging other comunities to take part - the human race should be considered to be on race, one team. We have the resources and know-how and we should take the opportunity.

Close encounter with a cluster

Alan Boyle — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:09:30 GMT

Dear K: I'm no expert ... Hopefully someone who knows his or her way around a MIME type can chime in with suggestions. For now, all I can offer are these forum threads on the error message:

http://forums.microsoft.com/MSR/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1987377&SiteID=37

http://dirk.net/2008/05/29/serving-hd-view-content-with-iis-7/

Close encounter with a cluster

cindy — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:57:55 GMT

What is sobering here is the galaxy cluster is 300 million light years away. Light travels at 286k-miles/second - fast, very fast and very far. Dinosaurs were not even on this earth when the light we see of this galaxy cluster shined out from this galaxy cluster. And it shone out at the speed of light, traveling for the next 300 million years to our earth and the internet where we see it now. Its too much to comprehend - the distances involved, beyond it being just a dumb number with an exponential character to make it real, but numb to our senses. And even more amazing is that the remote galaxies are 40 times further out than this one. It becomes just a number game, but with real pretty light images, verging on the concept of GOD the creator. Unto dust we shall return, having arisen from dust - star dust.

Close encounter with a cluster

Derek, Irvine, CA — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:34:22 GMT

The size of the observable universe is simply beyond human comprehension. As a reminder, a light-year is the distance light travels in one year @ 186,000 miles per second, nearly six trillion miles. This Hubble image is of a cluster 300 million light years away! As hopeful as I am for interstellar space travel, the ability to travel out there and come back to Earth in one's lifetime can only happen if a way is found to break the light speed limit, e.g. "warp speed". I'm thinking more and more that we will exhaust the natural resources of this planet and/or destroy ourselves before we figure that out and can leave for somewhere else. Come on, we haven't yet figured out how to consistently build Mars landers that land in one piece and don't have major problems when they get there. Nevertheless, we must continue to fund space research, at far higher levels than we have been. And we must figure out how to get more kids excited about science and keep them excited so they become scientists. We are losing the brain power to do this important work.

Close encounter with a cluster

rt2000 — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:42:18 GMT

why can't there be a download link either to the nasa site or hosted here of a high res pic? I'm not inclined to download any pluggins just to look at a photo.

Great story and looks to be a great photo. But I don't see the need for a pluggin to look at a photo unless there are alterior motives behind it. I don't need more junkware to look at a photo.

Close encounter with a cluster

wmr6413 Scottsdale, AZ — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:32:36 GMT

It is truely amazing..the vastness of the cosmos. Carl Sagan was right in his wonder and teachings. It is fascinating what has been discovered and shown to the public this past decade. We have so many stars and planets in our own system, and yet billions of systems are there to wonder and see. Our curiosity dirves us to explore and reach farther into space, I hope this never stops. Maybe someday, we will be shown how to physically travel to places that are in our system and beyond. Keep dreaming and reaching..

Close encounter with a cluster

John Wheeler, Houston, TX. — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:40:56 GMT

To put such physical research into perspective, we need to do some metaphysical research. The visible Universe has not existed forever, it did not create itself, it did not organize its own laws, and its very vastness pales into insignificance against the odds against life "evolving" naturalistically anywhere within its lifetime to date.

We'll reach the incredible wonders we see here after we stop thinking and acting as if there is no God and no purpose for the Universe that He created for US to inherit after He makes us like Himself.

Close encounter with a cluster

Mark Staller, Grove City Ohio — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:57:45 GMT

Awesome picture, showing the level of technology we now have. Sadly MSNBC cant seem to figure out how to display a high res image of it for everyone. You can only view MSNBC's proprietary version if you use Windows. Good one!

Close encounter with a cluster

Robert A. Jones, Colorado Springs, CO — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:08:30 GMT

What a view! We are just another speck in the void.

Close encounter with a cluster

Frank Maselli — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:37:09 GMT

Hubble ranks as one of science's greatest achievements. Not only for research, but more for it's power to inspire awe in the face of nature's greatest wonders. It has taken mankind on an extraordinary journey of exploration. I appreciate the decades of study and hard work of the people who bring us these images. Thanks!

Close encounter with a cluster

FG — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:44:31 GMT

Unless we discover a hyper drive or jump drive system we will never be able to leave our solar system...maybe take a thousand yrs or more but human civilization on this planet is unsustainable at present growth levels...

Close encounter with a cluster

Henry kahrs — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:29:26 GMT

If the speed of light is the absolute speed we will never get to another planet. All e can do is admire them from far away witch is beautiful anyway

Close encounter with a cluster

Robin, Atlanta, Georgia — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:14:12 GMT

It is encouraging to read these responses to the truly amazing spectacle Hubble has provided. So many see space as our next frontier. Yet, did it ever occur to anyone that perhaps these places are so far away because we aren't MEANT to go 'where no man has gone before?' We wonder if there is 'intelligent life' there. Poor, arrogant Western man. Everything that exists derives from intelligence - divine intelligence, in which we live, move, and have our being. The evolution of Man on Earth clearly indicates insufficiency to live above hedonism. Moreover, we talk of venturing (uninvited) into space. Just as with the destruction of African and Indian civilizations - and as well with our unending wars - do we really understand what beauty we might be disturbing or destroying? Have already destroyed? There is much that is beautiful in life on Earth, and in her inhabitants. Today, however, that beauty exists as a tip of an iceburg. Perhaps when our beauty, our essential good, becomes the iceberg, fully integrated in synergistic, life-affirming coexistence,flourishing and evident, perhaps then space travel will be within our reach. Should we attain that kind of spiritual/intellectual growth, who knows? We might not need spaceships to travel, nor external devices to communicate. Better yet, have we considered that WE might be a point of interest to that larger world? We might finally be 'sought after' by whatever is out there, after it becomes evident that 'Earthlings' just might be a species worth contacting.

Close encounter with a cluster

Robin, Atlanta, Georgia — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:18:39 GMT

It is encouraging to read these responses to the truly amazing spectacle Hubble has provided. So many see space as our next frontier. Yet does it occur to us that perhaps these places are so far away because we aren't MEANT to go 'where no man has gone before?' We wonder if there is 'intelligent life' there. Poor, arrogant Western man. Everything that exists derives from intelligence - divine intelligence, in which we live, move, and have our being. The evolution of Man on Earth clearly indicates insufficiency (not inability) to live above hedonism. Moreover, we talk of venturing - uninvited - into space. Just as with the destruction of African and Indian civilizations - and as well with our unending wars - do we really understand what beauty we might be disturbing or destroying? Have already destroyed? Much is beautiful in life on Earth, and in her inhabitants. Today, however, that beauty exists as a tip of an iceberg. Perhaps when our beauty, our essential good, becomes the iceberg, fully manifested as synergistic, life-affirming coexistence, flourishing and evident, perhaps then space travel will be within our reach. Should we attain that kind of spiritual and intellectual growth, who knows? We might not need spaceships to travel, or external devices to communicate. Better yet, have we considered that WE might be a point of interest to that larger world? We might finally be 'sought after' by whatever is out there, when it becomes evident that 'Earthlings' just might be a species worth contacting.

Close encounter with a cluster

Chris M., Menomonee Falls, Wi — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:38:38 GMT

I just find it so amazing that we are a simple marble amongst millions or even trillions of other marbles. To know that the universe is never ending and that there are trillions of other galaxys' like ours, it just interests me greatly.

Close encounter with a cluster

Arlene — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:50:33 GMT

So impressive...... Wonderful, and such fantastic works of God....

Close encounter with a cluster

Dana, Bucharest, Romania — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:16:32 GMT

Isaiah 40:22) 22 There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth, the dwellers in which are as grasshoppers, the One who is stretching out the heavens just as a fine gauze, who spreads them out like a tent in which to dwell.
Our G_d like to dwell in a Tabernacle! A huge Tabernacle is our univers!

Close encounter with a cluster

Delmar Fairchild, Barron, WI — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:17:41 GMT

Thanks for the input to my first question - all. A few other questions that are rather distant (pun intended) in this whole discussion of these galaxies that Alan has shown us.

We can see a whole galaxy or even a group of galaxies through the Hubble telescope that are 300 million light years away. They seem to be very clear unless they are artist's renditions.

Can we put that same telescope to work for us in looking at the Alpha and Beta Centauri binary star system? If we can see 300 million light years, why not 4.22 light years? Instead of looking across town, we would be looking in the neighbor's window.

Would we be able to see what is revolving around that binary star system with the clarity of the COMA cluster?

If not, why not?

Close encounter with a cluster

Larry C, Durant, OK — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:40:06 GMT

DAVID MCDONALD-You should download Stellarium. It's an awesome program that shows your night sky in real time. It's really helpful if you want to find out the names of stars in your area.
-For other space lovers that like to look at far off galaxies, you should all visit GalaxyZoo.org. It's a really awesome site that lets you help scientist filter throught the hundreds of millions of galaxy photos that have been taken by numerous telescopes around the world. You get the see some really beautiful stuff that may have never been seen by human eyes before...I suggest everyone interested in space to become a member!

Close encounter with a cluster

KATHLEEN MORLEY , SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:12:44 GMT

Hi if you have not tried HD then you are missing out on very good photos of the cosmos, so get the HD and see the difference.

Close encounter with a cluster

Frank Glover Rochester, NY — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:36:15 GMT

"This is the coolest thing I seen. But how do you know its reality, it may be fake."

(sigh) So go buy your own telescope. See what's beyond the naked-eye Universe for yourself....

Unlike the Moon-conspiracy theorists that we can't yet sell tickets to, so they can personally know that humans can get there, you *can* personally see some of the things Hubble sees, just not in the same detail.

But then, there were once people who insisted that telescopes only produced optical illusions, anyway.

Close encounter with a cluster

Frank Glover, Rochester, NY — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:43:25 GMT

"Sounds like the definition of God, doesn't it yet folks that believe in God as Creator are riduculed for their intellectual foolishness."

I ridicule no one for their religious beliefs, but it *is* intellectually *lazy* to give up and fall back on divine explanations, just because you can't think of anything else.

Neither the Universe, nor God promised all answers would be easy or obvious.

Close encounter with a cluster

Frank Glover, Rochester, NY — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:48:59 GMT

"Can we put that same telescope to work for us in looking at the Alpha and Beta Centauri binary star system? If we can see 300 million light years, why not 4.22 light years? Instead of looking across town, we would be looking in the neighbor's window."

Alpha and Beta Centauri are two distinctly different stars. Indeed, Alpha Centauri is a triple stat system whose components should be referred to as Alpha Centauri A, B and C.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centauri

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_Centauri