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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Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
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A showcase for future fame
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Fall Astronomy Week
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Atop the Needle of Chamonix
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Salt of the earth
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National Rivers Month
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Yarn for Distaff Day
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Ocean City, Maryland, at sunrise
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Pretty, pretty…butterfly?
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Churún Merú waterfall in Venezuela
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Red deer stag in Glen Affric, Scottish Highlands
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Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York
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Ostuni, Apulia, Italy
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An historic forest
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National Cherry Blossom Festival
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Happy Halloween!
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A little bit of Wonderland in New York City
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Great cormorants
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Royal Alcázar of Seville, Spain
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National Panda Day
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Listening to the sea
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May we have this dance?
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World Rainforest Day
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A hit ballet, long after its debut
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Just another day in paradise
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Indigenous Peoples Day
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Taiwan yuhinas in Alishan National Scenic Area
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Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington
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Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany
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A peek behind the royal curtain
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

