HEAPOW logo


HEASARC Picture of the Week: Stars



Title Date
Held in the Cat's Paw Composite Spitzer IR/Chandra X-ray image of the star forming region NGC 6334 December 1, 2025
Another Near Miss Observation and model of the X-ray variability of Eta Carinae September 1, 2025
Flashing Lights - Proceed with Caution Chandra X-ray image of the stars in the Lagoon Nebula July 28, 2025
Raging Star extreme UV image of a strong stellar flare on the sun, June 19 2025, by the Solar Dynamics Observatory June 30, 2025
To Touch the Sky The Braille Sky February 24, 2025
The Power of Two Chandra X-ray and JWST IR composite image of Rho Oph October 14, 2024
Activity in Proximity Artist illustration of the the entangled magnetic fields in the protostellar binary DQ Tau September 30, 2024
Breaking Down the Cosmic Cliffs Chandra X-ray and JWST near IR image of the cosmic cliffs in the Carina Nebula August 5, 2024
Pushing White Dwarfs Over the Edge Illustration of accretion onto a magnetic CV July 8, 2024
Unhappy Wanderer? Chandra X-ray and optical image of the globular cluster NGC 6388 March 18, 2024
Evergreen Composite X-ray, optical and infrared images of the star cluster NGC 2264 December 25, 2023
Stars Shaping Stars Multiwavelength View of the giant molecular cloud W51 December 4, 2023
Fingerprints of the Decedent Illustration of the tidal disruption of a massive star; inset: the fingerprint of the star's composition August 28, 2023
Reaching for the Stars Composite Chandra X-ray and JWST infrared image of the Eagle Nebula June 5, 2023
Among the Stars X-ray image of Cyg OB2 from XMM, for Stephen A. Drake May 8, 2023
Breaking Down the Pillars Chandra and HST image of the Eagle Nebula field March 27, 2023
Complementarity of the Tarantula Chandra X-ray and JWST IR image of the Tarantula Nebula, 30 Dor January 30, 2023
Synergy in the Cosmic Cliffs Chandra X-ray and JWST near IR image of the NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula August 29, 2022
Shocking Runaway X-ray and IR image of the bow shock around Zeta Oph August 1, 2022
A Cluster of Clusters Gallery of XMM-Newton X-ray images of star clusters April 25, 2022
Hanging Around A Dangerous Star Visualization of the environment around Eta Car February 28, 2022
Heart of Lightness X-ray Nebula around NGC 346 February 14, 2022
Dying Together Composite optical/X-ray image of R Aqr February 7, 2022
Star of Wander Mira streaking through the sky December 20, 2021
The Dwarf that Roared Artist's illustration of a magnetically-active brown dwarf; inset: X-ray increase from J0331-27 seen by XMM-Newton December 6, 2021
Hearing the Invisible Universe Chandra X-ray and HST optical image of the massive star cluster W2 September 27, 2021
Bipolar Blast in 3D 3-D model of the nova outburst of V745 Sco August 23, 2021
Introducing the Anti-Stars? Locations of suspected anti-stars May 24, 2021
A Literal Nova False color XMM X-ray image of J005311, the result of a merger of two white dwarfs star January 11, 2021
Old Star Blowing Bubbles Optical and X-ray composite image of IC 4593 November 16, 2020
Dying with a Star? Illustration of planet getting blasted by a host star; inset X-ray flare from Barnard's star November 2, 2020
Light Leaks Chandra X-ray and HST ultraviolet image of Eta Carinae September 14, 2020
A Very LHC Illustration of the production of high-energy gamma rays by the wind collision in the eta Carinae system July 27, 2020
Survival? Illustration fo a white dwarf in orbit around a supermassive black hole; inset: periodic X-ray flares from GSN 069 May 11, 2020
Death Throes XMM Newton X-ray, and HST optical + WISE IR image of the Spiral Planetary Nebula March 30, 2020
Eta Carinae: A Star-Winds Story Eta Car near periastron passage February 17, 2020
Swords of Orion left: Chandra HETGS image of the Trapezium; right: infrared image of the Trapezium October 14, 2019
Chandra XX Chandra HETG X-ray image of Eta Carinae July 29, 2019
Expelled Illustration of a coronal mass ejection from the star HR 9024 June 10, 2019
The Mouse that Roared Superflare from EV Lac March 18, 2019
The Shape of Wind Illustration of a high mass binary system and the clumpy wind from the non-compact companion star February 4, 2019
The Anti-Shadow Illustration of a self-lensing binary November 5, 2018
The Breakup? Evolution of the X-ray spectrum of RW Aur A July 23, 2018
Shocking Processes from Eta Carinae Chandra X-ray image of eta Carinae with NuSTAR contours in green July 9, 2018
A Young Symbiot? INTEGRAL discovery of a new symbiotic binary system April 16, 2018
A Rare Flare? XMM observes a flare from Rho Oph March 12, 2018
A Blast for Proxima Centaurions An X-ray flare on Proxima Cen July 31, 2017
Gains and Losses Chandra X-ray and optical composite image of the R Aquarii symbiotic binary system June 12, 2017
The Next Red Nova? Illustration of a contact binary merger; period change of KIC 9832227 (inset) January 9, 2017
Star of Wonder Swift XRT image of X-ray light echoes around V404 Cyg December 26, 2016
Dwarf Microlens Summary of the observation of gravitational microlensing as seen by OGLE, Swift and Spitzer December 12, 2016
The Stellar Circle of Life and Death Composite X-ray/radio image of a star-forming cloud near the X-ray binary Cygnus X-3 December 5, 2016
An X-ray Wind Shadow Optical image of the constellation of Orion, and X-ray image of Delta Ori November 30, 2015
Born Again X-ray and optical image of planetary nebula Abell 78 November 9, 2015
Hot-Tempered Youth Composite X-ray, IR and optical image of star cluster NGC 1333 September 28, 2015
Beyond the Wall of Space Composite X-ray, optical and radio image of nova GK Per March 23, 2015
A Near Miss Simulation of the X-ray variability of Eta Carinae January 19, 2015
Premature Aging Planet makes star seem old November 10, 2014
Superflare artistic impression of mega-flaring from DG CVn October 20, 2014
Down Low Chandra energy-coded X-ray image of eta Carinae September 8, 2014
Pulses from a Possible Pulsar Progenitor XMM X-ray lightcurve of Xi1 CMa June 16, 2014
Burning In from the Outside? Chandra X-ray and Sptizer IR image of NGC 2024 June 9, 2014
Peering into the Star Factory Spitzer and XMM-Newton image of the massive star forming complex ON2 April 14, 2014
Diagnosing Dead Stars Multiwavelength view of a new SNR in the LMC December 16, 2013
Caught in Transit HD 189733b, the first exoplanet caught passing in front of its parent star in X-rays August 5, 2013
A Tax of Metal Poor Stars Composite image of NGC 602 in the SMC April 15, 2013
Dead Star Survey Sample from the Chandra Planetary Nebula Survey November 12, 2012
Dance of the Veiled Stars Simulation of colliding wind binary Cyg OB2 #9 October 22, 2012
Will Doomed Star Doom Us Too? X-ray & optical image of Eta Car September 24, 2012
Lights, Camera, Activity XMM Newton observes X-ray variability of 61 Cyg A August 13, 2012
Hot Spot X-ray variation of V1647 Ori July 9, 2012
Wonderful Wandering Wake Mira UV wake May 14, 2012
High and Low X-ray image of Cyg OB2 October 3, 2011
Blasted Planet Chandra's view of CoRoT-2b, a planet blasted by stellar X-rays September 19, 2011
Fireworks Artist Conception of LS 2883 July 4, 2011
Eaten by the Giant? Left: radio and X-ray image of BP Psc; right: Artist conception September 27, 2010
Busy Being Born, Busy Dying Sptizer and XMM image of Berkeley 87 August 2, 2010
Symbiot CH Cygni Jet June 21, 2010
Aluminum Sure Can INTEGRAL observations of Al 26 signal from the Cygnus region May 24, 2010
About to Go Boom XMM-Newton X-ray observation of Berkeley 87 and WR 142 March 22, 2010
Onto and Out Chandra image of jets from DG Tau and artist conception March 30, 2009
Turn Turn Turn RXTE lightcurve of Eta Car March 16, 2009
DROXO XMM image of rho oph star forming region (right) and lightcurves (left) July 21, 2008
Resolving Their Differences Resolved X-ray emission from IRS5 July 14, 2008
What did EV Lac? Artist interpretation of giant flare on EV Lac June 2, 2008
Young Stars Blowing Bubbles XMM and Spitzer images of Orion Nebula April 14, 2008
In this Corner... Chandra image of W2 and WR 20a January 28, 2008
Hard CWB INTEGRAL image of Eta CAr January 14, 2008
Cornucopia Chandra/Optical image of NGC 281 November 19, 2007
Active Youngsters Orion Nebula composite image October 8, 2007
Close Hot Dancing HETG radial velocity curve for VW Cep July 9, 2007
Revolver XMM Newton study of HD 5980 June 25, 2007
Under Construction XMM image of part of the Taurus Molecular Cloud June 4, 2007
Breaking Down the Pillars Chandra and HST image of the Eagle Nebula field April 2, 2007
New Chandra/optical composite of W3 January 1, 2007
Neighbor Killer Swift lightcurve or readers November 13, 2006
Spikes RGS Spectrum of AB Dor October 23, 2006
Wild Hearts of the Young Chandra, IR and optical composite of NGC 3576 October 2, 2006
Last Gasp of the Dying Composite images of Planetary Nebulae May 15, 2006
A COUP for Chandra Chandra Orion Ultradeep Project January 9, 2006
Holiday Lights Rho Oph observation by Chandra December 26, 2005
The Dimming of the Twin XMM Variability of Alpha Cen A November 14, 2005
Shelter In Place Star clusters near the Galactic Center October 17, 2005
Hot Young Stars Chandra image of Tr 14 September 12, 2005
Color Open Cluster Deep X-ray observation of the Cluster NGC 6231 June 13, 2005
Condition While Young Deep X-ray observation of the Orion Nebula Cluster May 16, 2005
Mira Aqui X-ray observation of Mira May 9, 2005
The Baby's Kick XMM Newton Observation of a Class 0 protostar March 21, 2005
Invisible Cluster Revealed;
Interlopers Identified		 Clusters in X-rays and IR December 27, 2004
Hot Association HETG & DSS images of Cyg OB2 December 13, 2004
Will Doomed Star Doom Us? X-ray & optical image of Eta Car November 29, 2004
Outburst from a Young Star Optical and Chandra Images of McNeil's Nebula August 9, 2004
Where the Wild Winds Are Multiwavelength Quintuplet cluster August 2, 2004
Young Stars, In Color Chandra Image of the Trifid July 12, 2004
Reflections on a Little Man Chandra Image of the Homunculus Nebula June 21, 2004
When Two Become One Become Two V471 Tau X-ray spectrum February 16, 2004
Carina in Color X-ray Color Image of the Carina Nebula December 29, 2003
Eta Carinae: The Vanishing RXTE Lightcurve of Eta Car December 1, 2003
Contacting a White Dwarf XMM-Newton Lightcurves of OY Car November 24, 2003
Clustering around a Massive Star XMM-Newton image of NGC 6383 and HD 159176 October 13, 2003
Near the Bs Chandra Images of B stars September 8, 2003
Hot Winds from the Horseshoe M17 chandra image August 18, 2003
Getting Closer SPI Al 26 Map August 4, 2003
Stellar Brotherhood Keck and Chandra views of 4C41.17 June 2, 2003
Stellar Ball XMM-Newton image of Omega Cen May 19, 2003
Middle Aged, Failed Star Still Active Chandra Image of X-ray Emission from a Brown Dwarf March 17, 2003
A Collision of Winds Chandra Image of HD5980 December 30, 2002
Young Stars, Surprisingly Energetic RCW38 X-ray, IR and radio composite December 23, 2002
Hot Hot Stars Carina Nebula/XMM July 15, 2002
True-Color Tarantula 30 Doradus/chandra April 29, 2002
A Bouquet of Stars Chandra/Rosette Nebula October 22, 2001
Naked Newborns ROSAT/T Tauris September 3, 2001
Stellar Wind Superbubble Multi-wavelength Arches cluster June 18, 2001
Swarm of Stars Chandra/47 Tuc June 4, 2001
Dwarf Outshines Star Chandra/Sirius B February 25, 2001
Where the Stars Are CHANDRA/NGC 3603 February 12, 2001
Sparkle in the Cat's Eye Cat's Eye Nebula January 15, 2001
The YSO Christmas Tree Chandra YSOs December 25, 2000
Dynamos, Coronae and Massive Stars? HETGS/Zeta Ori October 30, 2000
The Hot Heart of the Little Man Eta Car/ACIS September 4, 2000
Schizophrenic Twins XMM/CASTOR July 17, 2000
Superman's View of Orion RASS/ORION May 1, 2000
Newton's First Rainbow RGS/HR1099 Feb 28, 2000
Revealing Young Stars ACIS/ORION NEBULA Mar 6, 2000
First Rainbow:
CHANDRA'S Low Energy Grating		 Capella/LETG spectrum Feb 14, 2000
X-ray Colors of Young Stars NGC 2516 Nov 15, 1999
Variable X-ray Emission of the
Extremely Luminous Star Eta Carinae		 eta Car PSPC montage Sep 27, 1999


HEA POW ● HEA Dictionary ● Archive ● Search HEAPOW ● Education


Each week the HEASARC scours the archive of X-ray and Gamma Ray observations to bring you new, exciting and beautiful images. Check back each week and be sure to check out the archive!


Last modified Monday, 01-Dec-2025 07:47:36 EST

A service of the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA/GSFC.