Peer into the center of the Milky Way with this stunning time-lapse video from Chile’s Paranal Observatory, by photographer Stéphane Guisard. Pretty perfect for a Friday, eh?

The bright streak that traverses our sky is the actual disk of our galaxy, the “milk” in our “way” is from the density of stars along the disk-like plane of our spiral home. You can also see a couple of our neighboring galaxies in there, dusty splotches against the inky dome.

Rebecca Rosen has more, with a nice reminder that any picture of a galaxy showing an arrow that says “you are here” is lying to you :) A Whole-Sky Time-Lapse of the Galactic Center - The Atlantic

Bonus: Take a look at this mind-bogglingly big snapshot of the Milky Way, a nine-gigapixel image containing more than 84 million stars. Think that’s a lot? It’s just 1% of the sky, and just this galaxy. It’s also my desktop background image!

Source: The Atlantic

Billions and Billions Click this link and you’ll be taken to a 24,000 x 14,000 pixel zoomable image of a central region of the Milky Way galaxy. I’m guessing it probably won’t work if you’re reading this on your phone. It was put together by Stéphane Guisard at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Within this image, should you zoom down (as I have done in the photos above), you will find millions of stars. Millions. Not to mention clouds of nebular gas, dark and light. And all of this from an area of the sky about the same size as two outstretched hands. That leaves a lot of stars unseen, here a mere fraction of the infinite gleam. When you’re done examining this particular region of the Milky Way, check out ESO’s Gigagalaxy Zoom for more interstellar mind travel. While you’re out journeying on your cosmic imagination quest, squinting against the starshine of these hundreds of billions of points of light that make up our galactic neighborhood, remember not to feel small. Feel tall, because we are the ones who built the tools to capture them all. (via Bad Astronomy)
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Billions and Billions Click this link and you’ll be taken to a 24,000 x 14,000 pixel zoomable image of a central region of the Milky Way galaxy. I’m guessing it probably won’t work if you’re reading this on your phone. It was put together by Stéphane Guisard at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Within this image, should you zoom down (as I have done in the photos above), you will find millions of stars. Millions. Not to mention clouds of nebular gas, dark and light. And all of this from an area of the sky about the same size as two outstretched hands. That leaves a lot of stars unseen, here a mere fraction of the infinite gleam. When you’re done examining this particular region of the Milky Way, check out ESO’s Gigagalaxy Zoom for more interstellar mind travel. While you’re out journeying on your cosmic imagination quest, squinting against the starshine of these hundreds of billions of points of light that make up our galactic neighborhood, remember not to feel small. Feel tall, because we are the ones who built the tools to capture them all. (via Bad Astronomy)
Zoom Info
Billions and Billions Click this link and you’ll be taken to a 24,000 x 14,000 pixel zoomable image of a central region of the Milky Way galaxy. I’m guessing it probably won’t work if you’re reading this on your phone. It was put together by Stéphane Guisard at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Within this image, should you zoom down (as I have done in the photos above), you will find millions of stars. Millions. Not to mention clouds of nebular gas, dark and light. And all of this from an area of the sky about the same size as two outstretched hands. That leaves a lot of stars unseen, here a mere fraction of the infinite gleam. When you’re done examining this particular region of the Milky Way, check out ESO’s Gigagalaxy Zoom for more interstellar mind travel. While you’re out journeying on your cosmic imagination quest, squinting against the starshine of these hundreds of billions of points of light that make up our galactic neighborhood, remember not to feel small. Feel tall, because we are the ones who built the tools to capture them all. (via Bad Astronomy)
Zoom Info
Billions and Billions Click this link and you’ll be taken to a 24,000 x 14,000 pixel zoomable image of a central region of the Milky Way galaxy. I’m guessing it probably won’t work if you’re reading this on your phone. It was put together by Stéphane Guisard at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Within this image, should you zoom down (as I have done in the photos above), you will find millions of stars. Millions. Not to mention clouds of nebular gas, dark and light. And all of this from an area of the sky about the same size as two outstretched hands. That leaves a lot of stars unseen, here a mere fraction of the infinite gleam. When you’re done examining this particular region of the Milky Way, check out ESO’s Gigagalaxy Zoom for more interstellar mind travel. While you’re out journeying on your cosmic imagination quest, squinting against the starshine of these hundreds of billions of points of light that make up our galactic neighborhood, remember not to feel small. Feel tall, because we are the ones who built the tools to capture them all. (via Bad Astronomy)
Zoom Info
Billions and Billions Click this link and you’ll be taken to a 24,000 x 14,000 pixel zoomable image of a central region of the Milky Way galaxy. I’m guessing it probably won’t work if you’re reading this on your phone. It was put together by Stéphane Guisard at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Within this image, should you zoom down (as I have done in the photos above), you will find millions of stars. Millions. Not to mention clouds of nebular gas, dark and light. And all of this from an area of the sky about the same size as two outstretched hands. That leaves a lot of stars unseen, here a mere fraction of the infinite gleam. When you’re done examining this particular region of the Milky Way, check out ESO’s Gigagalaxy Zoom for more interstellar mind travel. While you’re out journeying on your cosmic imagination quest, squinting against the starshine of these hundreds of billions of points of light that make up our galactic neighborhood, remember not to feel small. Feel tall, because we are the ones who built the tools to capture them all. (via Bad Astronomy)
Zoom Info

Billions and Billions

Click this link and you’ll be taken to a 24,000 x 14,000 pixel zoomable image of a central region of the Milky Way galaxy. I’m guessing it probably won’t work if you’re reading this on your phone. It was put together by Stéphane Guisard at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile.

Within this image, should you zoom down (as I have done in the photos above), you will find millions of stars. Millions. Not to mention clouds of nebular gas, dark and light. And all of this from an area of the sky about the same size as two outstretched hands. That leaves a lot of stars unseen, here a mere fraction of the infinite gleam.

When you’re done examining this particular region of the Milky Way, check out ESO’s Gigagalaxy Zoom for more interstellar mind travel. While you’re out journeying on your cosmic imagination quest, squinting against the starshine of these hundreds of billions of points of light that make up our galactic neighborhood, remember not to feel small. Feel tall, because we are the ones who built the tools to capture them all.

(via Bad Astronomy)

What The Night Sky Will Look Like Over the Next 7 Billion Years

Here’s a little-known fact: If our eyes were sensitive enough, the Andromeda galaxy would be wider than the Moon in the night sky. 

Another little-known fact: That same Andromeda galaxy, the Milky Way’s closest neighbor, is on a collision course with our spiral home. Starting in 3.5 billion years or so, our galaxies will smack into each other. Galaxies are mostly empty space, so it won’t be as catastrophic as you might imagine, but it will certainly change the organization of the stars.

This video is what the night sky may look like as Andromeda gets closer, since none of us will be around to see it. Also, be sure to check out this timeline of the far future.

(via PetaPixel)

Source: petapixel.com

Staring Into Galactic Infinity The European Space Organization (ESO) has just released the stunning photo above. At first glance, its just another fine piece of star porn, beautiful little glowing dots and clouds, like so many others whose images we have captured in our quest to catalogue the observable universe. But this one is special.  This is a nine-gigapixel image was taken using a telescope that looks into the infrared, allowing us to see through the dusty galactic arms. The view is of the galactic center of the Milky Way, our home. That means somewhere in the glowing center lies a black hole, and we are here, rotating around it. The photo marks the largest catalogue of Milky Way stars ever assembled. If you made counting all of the 84 million objects so far identified in this picture a full-time job, counting 16 hours per day at a comfortable pace, it would take you somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 years to finish. If it were printed at book resolution, that image would be 9 meters tall and 7 meters wide. And this is less than 1% of the whole sky. In just our own galaxy.  We live in a big neighborhood. Here’s an extra-large image. Here’s a semi-overwhelming zoomable version sure to keep you occupied for the next several forevers.
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Staring Into Galactic Infinity

The European Space Organization (ESO) has just released the stunning photo above. At first glance, its just another fine piece of star porn, beautiful little glowing dots and clouds, like so many others whose images we have captured in our quest to catalogue the observable universe.

But this one is special. 

This is a nine-gigapixel image was taken using a telescope that looks into the infrared, allowing us to see through the dusty galactic arms. The view is of the galactic center of the Milky Way, our home. That means somewhere in the glowing center lies a black hole, and we are here, rotating around it. The photo marks the largest catalogue of Milky Way stars ever assembled.

If you made counting all of the 84 million objects so far identified in this picture a full-time job, counting 16 hours per day at a comfortable pace, it would take you somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 years to finish. If it were printed at book resolution, that image would be 9 meters tall and 7 meters wide.

And this is less than 1% of the whole sky. In just our own galaxy. 

We live in a big neighborhood. Here’s an extra-large image. Here’s a semi-overwhelming zoomable version sure to keep you occupied for the next several forevers.

Source: eso.org

staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
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staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
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staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
Zoom Info
staceythinx: Illustrations by Moonrunner About Moonrunner: Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen. Click on the images to see what they represent. That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 
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staceythinx:

Illustrations by Moonrunner

About Moonrunner:

Moonrunner is primarily known for its science-based illustrations, especially in such fields as astro-physics, cosmology, dark energy, black holes, the solar system and such stellar phenomena as quasars, star nurseries and pulsars. We have worked with Stephen Hawking, as well as with the scientist/authors of the National Geographic and Scientific American magazines, and also those publishing with Dorling Kindersley, Weidenfeld & Nicolson and Weldon Owen.

Click on the images to see what they represent.

That’s what I call some serious astro-illustration. Be sure to click on the photos above to check out the explanations in the slide show. 

Journey to the center of the Milky Way

This video comes from the folks at Skysurvey.org. Zoom from the edge of the Milky Way toward the center of our galaxy, passing constellations along the way. Near the end, we break through the dusty clouds of gas and debris and see an image of gas as it gets sucked toward the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy’s bulged middle.

Not a bad trip for a Monday night, eh?

(via EarthSky)

Source: earthsky.org

staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
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staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
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staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info
staceythinx: A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair. For #Starporn Saturday. We should totally make that a thing.
Zoom Info

staceythinx:

A galaxy not so far away: The Daily Mail put together a wonderful gallery of photographs of Wall Street Canyon at Bryce Canyon National Park by photographer Royce Bair.

For #Starporn Saturday.

We should totally make that a thing.