Hubble Heritage

Peer up into the sky on a clear night and you can see a wondrous jumble of moon, stars, dust, and other heavenly streaks and scribbles of light. Ten years ago, NASA sent up a space telescope called the Hubble, and now, thanks to the Hubble Heritage Web site, you can see infinitely more glorious visions on your computer screen. The astrophysicists at Hubble Heritage call the site a front-row seat to the universe, and they're not wrong.

You can drink in stunning photographs of nebulae engorged with the vivid colors of the universe; moons from distant planets, hurtling comets, the birth and death of galaxies billions of years old, and breathtaking masses of stars that look like overflowing treasure chests of jewels twinkling in the darkness.

The pictures are rapturous, but the reader-friendly site offers much more. Until June 6, for example, you can vote on what objects you want the Hubble to point to, both in our own Milky Way or in clusters of ancient galaxies far more distant.

There's also a Hubble primer for students and teachers; definitions of astronomical terms, biographies of the astronomers involved with the Heritage project, and links to other space sites featuring celestial snapshots and volumes of information about the mysterious Great Beyond.

http://heritage.stsci.edu

It's Derby Day

This afternoon marks the 126th running of the Kentucky Derby in Louisville. Whether you're a high roller looking to bet the farm on a long shot, or a casual observer more interested in the fanfare surrounding the historic Churchill Downs race, there's a site for you. Here are four touts:

First Published January 8, 2013, 5:32 p.m.