Astronomy Picture of the Day

NASA ^ | 9/29/08 | Wally Pacholka

[sig226]

True Image from False Kiva
Credit & Copyright: Wally Pacholka (Astropics.com/TWAN)

Explanation: Is there any place in the world you could see a real sight like this? Yes. Pictured above is single exposure image spectacular near, far, and in between. Diving into the Earth far in the distance is part of the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy, taken with a long duration exposure. Much closer, the planet Jupiter is visible as the bright point just to band's left. Closer still are picturesque buttes and mesas of the Canyonlands National Park in Utah, USA, lit by a crescent moon. In the foreground is a cave housing a stone circle of unknown origin named False Kiva. The cave was briefly lit by flashlight during the long exposure. Astrophotographer Wally Pacholka reports that getting to the cave to take this image was no easy trek. Also, mountain lions were a concern while waiting alone in the dark for just the right exposure.

[sig226]

[Larry Lucido]

Mountain lions? I’d be worried about space aliens.

[Billthedrill]

Good grief, it’s real? BTT.

[RepublitarianRoger2]

That’s an awesome photo. Thought it was an artist’s rendering at first, until I noticed that the landscape looked a lot like Utah. Reading the description at the bottom confirmed it. Brave guy to be hanging out in a remote cave in the dark to get the shot, and what a shot it is!

[KylaStarr]

Thank you Sig.

Serenity for us RR.

[Rushmore Rocks]

It looks surreal. Stunningly beautiful. Thanks, Kyla.

[FrdmLvr]

Gorgeous photo. Thank you for all of your beautiful shots. As an artist, I look forward to seeing them.

[retrokitten]

That is beyond words beautiful.

[6SJ7]

Man, a picture like that puts the day’s events in perspective. Beautiful!

[BlessingsofLiberty]

Wow....truly beautiful. Thanks

[HelloooClareece]

Stunning.

[Cacique]

btt

[Lancey Howard]

This is one of the best phots I have ever seen.
Just wow.

[sig226]

What sort of art? We’ll have to swap a few freepmails some time.

[plsvn]

Good grief, it’s real? BTT.

It can't be real in the sense that it's a single exposure. The text actually says it was a time exposure (for the Milky Way sky view). If that's the case, the ground should have moved. If the camera is following the stars for a time exposure, the ground can't stationary. So this view has to be a composite of the sky photo as one shot and the interior of the cave and outside as another.

[SouthDixie]

So many desktop backgrounds, so little time. Thanks sig.

[Red_Devil 232]

I made this stunning picture my desk top background.

[gardengirl]

Awesome! Wouldn’t you like to be sitting there with the hot or cold beverage of your choice?

Except for the mountain lions, of course!

[Steve Van Doorn]

sweet thank you!