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Credit & Copyright: Luc Perrot
Explanation:
Sometimes, if you wait long enough for a clear and moonless night, the stars will
come out with a vengeance.
One such occasion occurred earlier this month at the Piton de l'Eau on
Reunion Island.
In the foreground, surrounded by bushes and trees, lies a water filled volcanic crater
serenely reflecting starlight.
A careful inspection near
the image center will locate
Piton des Neiges, the
highest peak on the island,
situated several kilometers away.
In the background, high above the lake, shines the light of hundreds of stars, most
of which are within 100 light years, right in
our stellar neighborhood.
Far is the distance,
arching
majestically
overhead,
is the central band of our home
Milky Way Galaxy, shining by the light of millions of stars each located typically
thousands of light years away.
The astrophotographer reports
waiting
for nearly two years for the sky and clouds to be just right to get the above shot.
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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: Milky Way
Publications with words: Milky Way
See also:
- Galaxies in Space
- APOD: 2025 February 9 Á Milky Way over the Australian Pinnacles
- 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