No, that"s not a downpour of lightsabers—but it"s no typical night sky either. Stargazing here at Paranal Observatory, on a mountaintop in Chile"s desolate Atacama Desert, you"ll get one of the clearest possible naked-eye views of the southern skies. This "lightsaber" effect comes from the photo"s long exposure: What we"re seeing is these stars" paths as they track across the night sky due to our planet"s rotation. The dazzling colors indicate temperature, from chilly red (5,000-ish degrees Fahrenheit) to balmy blue (temps in the tens of thousands).
Happy Astronomy Day!
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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National Park Service anniversary
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington
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Lunar eclipse
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Nomads of the Gobi
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National Mushroom Month
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Windmills in Kinderdijk, the Netherlands
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Pride 2022
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Cenote near Puerto Aventuras, Mexico
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Ode to the sun
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It s Republic Day in India
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Aerial view of the Colorado River Delta in Mexico
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How lovely are your branches
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I ll call for pen and ink
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Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
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Mediterranean red sea stars
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Wychwood Forest, Oxfordshire, England
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Wake up, it s Darwin Day
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Green is the new black
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Giving Tuesday
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Castle Day in Japan
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National Park Service Founders Day
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Into the woods
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Ancient storage in the Grand Canyon
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Grand finish of Le Tour
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A Portuguese fort takes a star turn
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Barcelona bids farewell to summer
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Snow buntings take flight
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Wicker fields in Cañamares, Spain
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Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany