Space December (review of events of the month)

We finish up the last year overview of developments of space subjects. Despite the month polubezdelya on Earth, in space and around it happened a lot of interesting things. And yes, the end of the world did not take place :)

Not even the promise of a parade of planets was not. Although it still promised not very learned. Very beautiful gravity map of the Moon. And most importantly, the most accurate to date.





Astronaut Tom Marshbern (Tom Marshburn) before starting training on the ISS, which took place on 19 December 2012.



The missile, two days before the start in the area of ​​the launch pad.



Top-down: Canadian Chris Hadfield, American Thomas Marshbern, Russian Roman Romanenko. The last photo before the start of the 34th expedition to the ISS.



Before us is gigantic stellar nursery. In neighboring galaxy M33 about 3 million years ago, a large gas cloud to form a dense internal components, and has arisen in which new stars.



December 14, 50 years ago, NASA's space probe "Mariner 2" (see photo) flies past Venus, and made the first studies of the planet.



Technicians are preparing for another test of the spacecraft 'Orion ", which will have to open up new possibilities for human flight in the solar system.



Very beautiful image of the planetary nebula NGC 5189 made the telescope "Hubble".



The layout of the spacecraft 'Orion "lands on the US Air Force training ground during the test landing.



Ion engine Evolutionary Xenon Thruster sets new world record for continuous operation - 43 thousand hours of Glenn Research Center.



Photos spiral galaxy NGC 3627 at a distance of about 30 million light-years from Earth.



Another spiral galaxy NGC 1097, which lies in the constellation Fornax. Distance from Earth - about 45 million light-years. Scientists believe that in the center of the galaxy is a massive black hole.



We have before us a picture of the volcano Tolbachik, after more than a month of the eruption.



Snow-covered Chinese Taklamakan desert.



The star AE Aurigae Flaming Star Nebula (IC405).



Medusa planetary nebula in the constellation Gemini.



Dense clouds of gas, called bullets pierce the edge of the Orion Nebula. The size of one such bullet is ten times the orbit of Pluto.



The sun rises above the crater Tycho on the Moon.



The release of the plasma on the sun instead of fireworks December 31, 2012.



See you in the first review of the cosmic-2013.