Red Square Nebula

This is the Red Square Nebula. Images of this nebula taken by the Mt. Palomar Hale telescope were first released in 2007. It is said to be one of the most symmetrical things to have ever been discovered.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Square_Nebula

Alternative adaptive optics

http://youtu.be/KwjZkeLgGZQ
This is a video the explains the adaptive optics system of a Large Binocular Telescope. Rather than adapting the conventional method of using a laser to create a false star, a secondary mirror is used to warp the incoming light rays so that the image detector would have a clear view. It is said to be so successful that it produces clearer images than that of the Hubble space telescope. Check it out!

Scaled zoom!

Check this out! It's a video of a scaled zoom of the universe. It may help put into perspective the actual distance of how far some of the stars and galaxies that we measure are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IVqMXPFYwI&sns=em