Posted on 02/18/2012 7:31:51 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: This rugged road through the dark Atacama Desert seems to lead skyward toward the bright stars and glowing nebulae of the southern Milky Way. If you follow the road you will get to Cerro Armazones peak in Chile, future construction site for the 40-meter class European Extremely Large Telescope. For now though, sliding your cursor across the image will identify wonders of the southern skies in view. The scene is dominated by the reddish glow of the Great Carina Nebula, one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. In fact, the remarkable skyscape is not a composite of varying exposures or a photomontage. Far from sources of light pollution, the landscape illuminated by starlight and the Milky Way above were recorded by a modified digital camera and fast lens. The sensitive system captured both planet Earth and deep sky in a relatively short exposure.
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[Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)]
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That is beautiful.
This picture is absolutely stunning! I just love it. It makes me want to be right there and experience that view! Thank you, SunkenCiv!!
And some in the S. hemisphere actually yearn to see the Big Dipper?
So pretty. Saved.
One day, I hope to see this.
It may be after we by our boat and sail of into the sunset, but, I will see it!
Wonderful!
The stars in the Big Dipper are between 49 and 62 degrees north of the celestial equator. From Rio it would be problematic since Alpha Ursae Majoris (the northernmost of the 7 stars) would never be more than about 5 degrees above the horizon, and seeing objects closer to the horizon than 10 degrees can be difficult, but from places like Lima or Jakarta or Pago Pago, you'd be able to see the entire Big Dipper at times.
Need more coffee...
Wonderful!
Sailing off into the sunset is nice, as long as ya don’t burn out your retinas. :’)
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