Where In the Universe? | Universe Today

Here's this week's image for the "Where In The Universe" challenge. Take a look at the image above and guess where in our universe this image was taken. Extra points if you can name the spacecraft responsible for the image as well. No peeking below before you make your guess. Of course, some of our readers out there don't guess: they KNOW! Universe Today draws some pretty savvy space buffs who know their stuff. Hopefully this weekly challenge is helping everyone to hone (or show off?) their skills.

Ready? Go!
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It's Wednesday, so that means its time for another "Where In The Universe" challenge to test your visual knowledge of the cosmos. Guess the location of this image, and give yourself extra points if you can name the spacecraft responsible for the photo. Remember, you have 8 planets, 169 known moons, a handful of dwarf planets (there's a new one!) and lots of asteroids in our solar system to choose from. We're also up to over 300 known exoplanets now; however we don't have the capability to image them quite yet, so you can cross them off your potential answer list. Don't cheat — make your guess before you look below…

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It's time once again for another "Where In The Universe" challenge. See if you can guess where in our vast universe this picture was taken. Give yourself extra points if you can name the spacecraft responsible for the image, too. We've been getting a lot of positive feedback on this challenge, and readers seem to enjoy this weekly test of their visual space-themed recognition skills. And we've been enjoying the reader comments on their successful and the not-so-successful identification of these space images. We've learned so much about the universe by the images taken by all the different spacecraft, and scientists can refer again and again images to study the fine details. And sometimes, they see something they didn't even know was there.

Alright, its time to make your guess, and no peeking below before your guess has been made.

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Blue is my favorite color. Especially the shade of blue in the image for this week's "Where In The Universe" challenge. It's just such an uplifting color. But back to the challenge. The goal of this challenge is to test your skills and knowledge of our solar system. Guess where this image is from, and give yourself extra points if you can guess which spacecraft is responsible for the image. As always, don't peek below before you make your guess. Comments on how you did are welcome.

Ready? Go!

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I've been enjoying a few lazy days of summer relaxing by a lake. The weather has been perfect, the lake is clear and warm, the food and drinks plentiful; a perfect vacation. But I finally realized (late in the day) today is Wednesday, and its time for another "Where In The Universe" challenge. So, here's an image, and your mission is to guess where in the universe this picture was taken. You get extra points for guessing the spacecraft that is responsible for the image, too. So take your time, maybe put your feet up and grab a cold beverage on this warm day and ponder this image for awhile. No peeking below for the answer until you've made your guess.

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Here's this week's 'Where In The Universe' challenge. I have a soft spot in my heart for craters. And the crater pictured here is one of the most gorgeous examples of a crater you'll see. But just where in the solar system is this crater? When I worked at a science museum, one of the first activities I ever did with children was to make craters. Just take a small tub, put in a few cups of flour and sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Then let the kids lose with impactors of all sizes and have them drop them (from the same height at first) and let them observe the parts of a crater (the rim, ejecta, rays, and sometimes even the step-like features on the walls). The kids loved this activity (you get to throw things and make a mess), but they also learned a lot about craters and how craters can provide information about the history of a planet or moon. So, back to the image, and "A crater I may contemplate" (see the source of that quote below after you've made your guess). Is this crater on a planet or a moon, and which one?
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Its time for another "Where in the Universe" challenge. I'll admit, this one is a little unusual. And I'll also admit, the picture here is just part of of a larger image. But, showing the entire image might give it away. Can you guess what this is? This challenge requires high energy for our readers to undertake, I know, and I appreciate everyone who has written to say how much they enjoy "Where in the Universe." We search across the sky, across the galaxy, and across the universe to find unique images, and hopefully this challenge provides a welcome diversion to your day. Have you made a guess, formulated a speculation, or deduced a deduction? Or do you just know what this is? No peeking below until your guesses are in….
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With all the excitement of Phoenix's successful landing and subsequent activities, I almost forgot that its time for another "Where In The Universe" challenge. So, I've been blazing across the internet, trying to shoot off another version of this challenge without causing a conflagration or bursting into spontaneous human combustion (OK, I know that doesn't really happen, but it fits here.)

I have to admit this image is really unusual. It almost looks like something found painted on a cave wall, but this is an actual image taken of the surface of a planetary body. It's time to make your guesses, and no peeking below before you do…..
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It's Wednesday, so that means its time for another "Where In The Universe" challenge to test your visual knowledge of the cosmos. We've been busy searching hither and yon for unusual and unique astronomical images to see how well our readers are acquainted with the various locals across the universe. This week's image is an unusual looking object. Just what is this thing? Could it be an asteroid, a wierd moon, or something you can find on Earth? Hmmm…… Ponder the image for awhile, and no peeking below before you make a guess. If only I could insert some music here, like the "Think!" theme song from the Jeopardy game show. I'll have to talk to Fraser about that…
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Here's your image for this week's "Where in the Universe?" challenge. Take a look at the image and before proceeding to the end of this post, make your guess as to what location in the universe is represented here. It could be anywhere — nothing is off limits for this challenge! Near or distant, far and wide, Universe Today spares no expense when it comes to searching for unique and unusual images to test your visual knowledge of our universe! Give yourself an extra point for guessing (or knowing) the feature shown here, and another point for naming the spacecraft that took this image. Just a couple more ticks on the timer here before revealing the awesome power of this week's image….

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Here's this week's "Where In The Universe?" mystery image. Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to guess what location in the universe is depicted here. No peeking below before you make a guess. Give yourself an extra point if you can name the feature shown here, and another point or two if you can name the spacecraft that took this image. I have to admit, I was drawn to this image strictly by the color: blue is my favorite, and especially this shade of blue. Kind of electric, don't you think? Let's see, could this be a moon, or a planet, or even a portion of a planetary nebula, or perhaps a photo from somewhere on our home planet? Make your guesses now, or maybe you knew what this was the moment you saw it….
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The past couple of weeks we've had a 'mystery' image, and asked our readers to guess what world in our solar system was featured in the image. Most everyone seemed to enjoy it, and it was fairly popular, so we've decided to make it a regular feature. I was going to call it the 'Wednesday Where in the World (and What World) Is This?' but that's just too long, not to mention too many W's in one headline. So to brief it up, and since this is "Universe Today," we've decided to call it "Where In The Universe?" Look for it every Wednesday.

Above is this week's mystery image. If you keep an eye on the images being released by the various spacecraft traveling our solar system, you may have seen this one before. Remember, you have 8 planets, 169 known moons, a handful of dwarf planets and lots of asteroids in our solar system to choose from. Don't cheat — make your guess before you click to continue…
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Everyone seemed to enjoy the "Where In The World (and What World) Is This?" post last week, so here's another one for you. This interesting feature was taken by an orbiting spacecraft on May 31, 2006. This striking circular landform could possibly be an impact crater, or a volcanic rim, or another physical feature that is so large, it can only be seen as a whole from the lofty vantage point that a spacecraft in orbit provides. Is this feature on Earth, or is it located on one of the other 176 worlds in our solar system (that's 7 other planets and 169 known moons)? And what spacecraft is responsible for this image?
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Anyone care to guess what orbiting spacecraft is responsible for taking this image, or even what world this is a picture of? At first glance, with all those craters, it could be Mars. However, the coloring isn't quite right for the Red Planet. Is it a photograph of Mercury or an image of the moon?

OK, yes, this is an image of Earth, but you were wondering there for awhile, weren't you! Interestingly enough, the white area is not snow, and the craters are not impact craters, but volcanic. And what spacecraft gets credit for the image? The International Space Station. This is one of the most recent images taken by the astronauts on board the ISS as part of the Earth Observatory program. A wonderful website, NASA's Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth, hosts an incredible collection of photographs that astronauts have taken of our home planet.
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