The Hubble Ultra-Deep Field Is An Image Of A Small Region Of Space In The Constellation Fornax, Containing

Bioluminescent Plankton

Scientists have only recently discovered that this type of plankton glows when they are moved because of stress - ironic when you consider how relaxing the sight of the shimmering waves are in the dark night. Bioluminescence is used as a defence mechanism to draw predators towards the creature trying to eat the plankton. The tiny flashes of light also disorientate and surprise the predator.

These tiny organisms produce light using a chemical called luciferin. The process of creating a bioluminescent light, which is simply light produced within a living creature, differs between organisms. Some need a particular food or another creature for the effect to happen. But this type of plankton, called dinoflagellates, produce luciferin on their own. The light the tiny plankton emit is called ‘cold light’, meaning less than 20% of the light generates heat.

Huge areas of the ocean can become populated by glowing plankton but the effect is especially common in warm-water lagoons that have narrow openings to the sea. This causes the plankton to gather and become trapped, causing the water to turn orange.

Image credit: Will Ho, Kin Cheung, Landscapes Maldives & eyegami

Source: Kuoni

Beautiful Saturn, observed by the Cassini probe on November 27, 2013.

(Ian Regan)

Aurora over Svolvear, Norway

Image Credit: Max Rive

Colors of Earth

When we think of our globe from a distance, we generally visualize two colors: blue and green. Water and land. Mostly water, consequently, our planet’s nickname of the blue marble.

Traveling around the globe every 90 minutes covering millions of miles with a focused lens on our beautiful planet from 250 miles above, I’ve captured many beautiful colors beyond blue and green that showcase Earth in new and interesting ways. Some colors are indicative of nature like desert sands and weather like snow. Other colors tell stories of Earth’s climate in bright splashes of yellows and greens of pollen and muted grey tones and clouded filters of pollution.

Blue and green still remain vivid and beautiful colors on Earth from the vantage point of the International Space Station, but here are some other colors that have caught my eye from my orbital perspective.

African violet

Bahamas blues

Tropical in Africa

Yellow desert

Orange in Egypt

Red surprise 

Snow white 

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This illustration shows the cosmic epochs of our Universe from the Big Bang to the Present. The position of galaxy A1689-zD1 is shown as an example of a particularly early forming and distant galaxy. 

Image credt: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI).

New Photographs From The European Space Agency

Astonishing Saturn, observed by the Cassini space probe on November 27, 2013.

British astronaut Tim Peake taking a selfie. That Union Flag is the first of its kind to have ever experienced the vacuum of space.

Dazzling Photos Let You Orbit the Earth with Astronaut Tim Peake