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:
-
Balloons and camels are two ways to catch a ride here
-
It s ∞ Day!
-
Homeward bound
-
What’s blooming in New Zealand?
-
Happy International Astronomy Day!
-
Jeju Island, South Korea
-
The forecast calls for blooms
-
Nha Phu Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam
-
Cool water in the Quinault
-
It s a ruff life
-
Big Bend National Park turns 78
-
Earth Day
-
Lakeside serenity in Finland
-
A century since Tut s tomb was discovered
-
Goats don t grow on trees
-
A path into history
-
The ‘Living Forest’ in Biscay, Spain
-
Spring awakens
-
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil
-
International Roller Coaster Day
-
Collared aracari in Costa Rica
-
The town of Pienza in Tuscany, Italy
-
Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
-
Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
-
International Rock Day
-
Gamboa Crater, Mars
-
Wheels up in Beijing
-
Sibiu Christmas market, Romania
-
A ‘circus of chaos’ for Stravinsky
-
Star Wars Day