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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Gems of a Maldivean Night
APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 28 Mar, 2022 | Image Credit & Copyright: Petr Horรกlek (ESO Photo Ambassador, Inst. of Physics in Opava)

Posted on 03/28/2022 2:28:32 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: The southernmost part of the Milky Way contains not only the stars of the Southern Cross, but the closest star system to our Sun -- Alpha Centauri. The Southern Cross itself is topped by the bright, yellowish star Gamma Crucis. A line from Gamma Crucis through the blue star at the bottom of the cross, Acrux, points toward the south celestial pole, located just above the small island in the featured picture -- taken in early March. That island is Madivaru of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Against faint Milky Way starlight, the dark Coal Sack Nebula lies just left of the cross, while farther left along the Milky Way are the bright stars Alpha Centauri (left) and Beta Centauri (Hadar). Alpha Centauri A, a Sun-like star anchoring a three-star system with exoplanets, is a mere 4.3 light-years distant. Seen from Alpha Centauri, our own Sun would be a bright yellowish star in the otherwise recognizable constellation Cassiopeia.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: nasa
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 03/28/2022 2:28:32 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 03/28/2022 2:28:53 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on mycreen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; America_Right; AZ .44 MAG; ...
Pinging the APOD list.

๐Ÿช ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŒŒ ๐Ÿ”

Hover your cursor over the photo at the link for the identification of objects n the image to appear

3 posted on 03/28/2022 2:29:33 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on mycreen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

To use my sister’s favorite word: “Gorgeous”!


4 posted on 03/28/2022 2:32:14 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (Stand up, or bend over)
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To: MtnClimber

Another excellent head shop poster. Nice!


5 posted on 03/28/2022 2:51:39 PM PDT by BenLurkin ((The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.))
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To: MtnClimber

Awesome, but that mutant tree in the middle of the island is looking to cause trouble.


6 posted on 03/28/2022 3:39:27 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: MtnClimber
I thought that was a ketchup smear to the right of the Southern Cross.

But no, upon closer inspection, that's a demon head.


7 posted on 03/28/2022 3:45:46 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN

That is a RED JESTER!


8 posted on 03/28/2022 4:26:04 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on mycreen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Really pretty!


9 posted on 03/28/2022 4:53:45 PM PDT by telescope115 (Proud member of the ANTIFAuci movement. )
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To: MtnClimber

I remember the first time I saw the stars from the Southern Hemisphere.
You could tell right away you were seeing something very different.


10 posted on 03/28/2022 7:19:23 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: MtnClimber

The universe at its best. I like it like that!


11 posted on 03/29/2022 12:12:58 AM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper (Figures )
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To: MtnClimber; DannyTN
MtnClimber thanks for all your posts, much appreciated!

DannyTN, thanks for all the laughs!

This daily thread is a very welcome break from the news....

12 posted on 04/01/2022 6:28:32 PM PDT by cpforlife.org (Abortion is the Choice of Satan, the father of lies and a MURDERER from the beginning.)
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To: cpforlife.org; MtnClimber
"This daily thread is a very welcome break from the news...."

You can say that again!!! No insane covid or war arguments. Just good hearted alien conspiracies.

13 posted on 04/01/2022 7:23:43 PM PDT by DannyTN
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