Posted on 09/13/2014 12:36:34 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: You might not guess it, but sunrise was still hours away when this nightscape was taken, a view along the eastern horizon from a remote location in Chile's Atacama desert. Stretching high into the otherwise dark, starry sky the unusually bright conical glow is sunlight though, scattered by dust along the solar system's ecliptic plane . Known as Zodiacal light, the apparition is also nicknamed the "false dawn". Near center, bright star Aldebaran and the Pleiades star cluster seem immersed in the Zodiacal light, with Orion toward the right edge of the frame. Reddish emission from NGC 1499, the California Nebula, can also be seen through the tinge of airglow along the horizon. Sliding your cursor over the picture (or following this link) will label the sky over this future site of the Giant Magellan Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit & Copyright: Yuri Beletsky (Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Institution)]
Cool. I had not previously heard of the “Zodiacal Light.” Is it visible to the naked eye? Or only through long-exposure photography?
The plane dragging that “Zodiacal Light” banner must be out of the frame .....
Sounds like the Solar System needs a good vacuuming.
It’s dim but visible to the eye if the skies are dark enough. That’s getting to be harder to find.
In his day job, Brian May is lead guitarist and founder of the rock band “Queen”.
If you want to know even more about “scientist” Brian May:
Queen’s Brian May Comes Out For The Protection of Comets from Vandalism
Brian May of Queen’s blog | 6/28/2005 | B.M.
Posted on 6/30/2005 1:14:55 AM by lainie
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/1433639/posts
Queen guitarist Brian May has lent his support to a British campaign opposing a bid to overturn the hunting ban in England
http://www.brianmay.com/brian/briannews/briannewsapr10a.html
OTOH, on a page filled with drivel answers:
> Most of my most knowledgeable scientist friends don’t believe that global warming exists. I have still not seen any proof that the planet is increasing in temperature, or that we have a hand in determining such changes. I do think the concept has led to some good changes. such as an increased awareness of how wasteful we are. But lots of people are cashing in on the carbon industry, distracting us from more important issues, such as how to treat animals.
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