Best Of 2011: Space and Astronomy

December 15, 2011 2:52 PM

Timelapse of the Year: an awe-inspiring trailer for the movie TimeScapes by Tom Lowe (full 4K version on YouTube/MP4 direct link). (Previously)
Rover Newcomer: Where In The Solar System is Curiosity?
Astronomy Photographer of the Year. The Top 24 Deep Space Pictures of 2011. Top 14 Solar System Photos.  Top 16 Space Photos.  (Images of a million-light-year long collision of galaxy clusters and a “stellar snow angel” didn’t make the cut, but should have).
Discovery of the Year: Opportunity uncovers conclusive proof that water flowed on Mars.
Astronomy Animation of the year: a zoom to the center of the Milky Way, and the supermassive black hole that is feeding there.
Lifetime Achievement: The Known Universe, a stunning three-minute zoom from the peak of the Himalayas to the edge of the cosmos, finally available in HD. (Previously).
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul (6 comments total)

So many wonderous links. Thanks for posting.
posted by Gwynarra at 3:16 PM on December 15, 2011

The "water on Mars" link seems to go to the wrong place - a catalog of extrasolar planets and no obvious connection to water. Fix?
posted by Quietgal at 4:37 PM on December 15, 2011

Both the Timescapes trailer and the Known Universe video are utterly awe-inspiring, and for such different yet similar reasons.

Thanks for these awesome links!
posted by hincandenza at 5:36 PM on December 15, 2011

Cannot get enough of this. Thanks.
posted by bodega at 7:47 PM on December 15, 2011

Those two videos were stunning! Thanks.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 6:20 PM on December 16, 2011

Seen a few of these. Great to see more stunning videos that I've missed from this year. Thanks you compiling!
posted by soltini at 8:02 PM on December 17, 2011