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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Zion National Park Turns 100
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A viewer with a view
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Ingenuity in action on the Santa Monica Pier
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We have liftoff!
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Gifford Pinchot National Forest
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Tree of many colors
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Porto Cathedral, Portugal
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Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana
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Here’s why landmarks are going dark
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Dressed for winter fun
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Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act marks 42 years
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Kelp buddies
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A sea of swirling stone
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We re gonna need a bigger birdhouse
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Saffron in bloom
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Helloooooo, Innsbruck
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Let the Highland games begin
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Ringing in the new year at Teotihuacan
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Time to count some birds
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Salzburg, Austria
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Super sandy Sweet 16
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One giant leap for penguins
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Row, row, row your gondola
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An opulent backdrop for a historic event
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AAPI Heritage Month & Lei Day
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A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean
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Hippo family in Chobe National Park, Botswana
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Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
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Bringing together history and technology
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Blackbird in Essex, England