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Credit & Copyright: Johannes Schedler
(Panther Observatory)
Explanation:
This beautiful telephoto composition
spans light-years in a
natural night skyscape from the island of Crete.
Looking south, exposures both track the stars and record a fixed
foreground in three merged panels that cover a 10x12 degree wide field
of view.
The May 15 waxing gibbous moonlight illuminates the
church and mountainous terrain.
A mere 18 thousand light-years away,
huge globular star cluster
Omega Centauri (NGC 5139) shining
above gives a good visual impression of its appearance in binoculars
on that starry night.
Active galaxy
Centaurus A
(NGC 5128) is near the top of the frame, some 11 million light-years
distant.
Also found toward the expansive southern constellation Centaurus
and about the size of our own Milky Way is edge on spiral galaxy
NGC 4945.
About 13 million light-years distant it's only a little farther along,
and just above the
horizon
at the right.
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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: Centaurus A - Omega Centauri
Publications with words: Centaurus A - Omega Centauri
See also: