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Credit & Copyright: Greg Bock,
Southern Astronomical Society
Explanation:
This breathtaking patch of sky would be above you were you
to stand at the
South Pole of the Earth.
Just above and to the right of
this photograph's center
are the four stars that mark the
boundaries of the famous
Southern Cross.
At the top of this constellation, also known as
The Crux, is the orange star
Gamma Crucis.
The
band of stars, dust, and gas
crossing the middle of the photograph is part our
Milky Way Galaxy.
In the very center of the photograph is the dark
Coal Sack Nebula,
and the bright nebula on the far right is the
Carina Nebula.
The Southern Cross is such a famous constellation that it is
depicted on the
national flag of Australia.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Southern Cross - Milky Way - NEAR project
Publications with words: Southern Cross - Milky Way - NEAR project
See also:
- APOD: 2024 November 24 Á Journey to the Center of the Galaxy
- APOD: 2024 November 5 Á Milky Way over Easter Island
- APOD: 2024 August 4 Á Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
- APOD: 2024 July 29 Á Milky Way over Uluru
- APOD: 2024 May 29 Á Stairway to the Milky Way
- APOD: 2023 December 12 Á Aurora and Milky Way over Norway
- Milky Way Rising