150912 Sagittarius starscape
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ASTRO:
type=starscape view=Sagittarius constellation IMAGE: location=Okie-Tex SP 2015 BrtlCls=1 exposure=DSLR OSC: 1x20s (0.3m), f/3.5, ISO2500 EQUIPMENT: camera=Nikon D90 (stk) optics=NIKKOR 18-105mm DX kit zoom @ 42mm filter=(none) mount=simple fixed tripod guiding=(none) SOFTWARE: acquisition=(in-camera) processing=Photoshop, LrC |
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The Milky Way galaxy is home to our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of cloud-like light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked (unaided) eye. It is estimated the Milky Way contains between 100 and 150 billion stars, encompassing almost all of the stars we see in our nighttime skies.
In the northern hemisphere's late springtime, toward the southern extents of the Milky Way, the constellation of Sagittarius (the Centaur, a mythical creature recorded in Greek mythology that is half-man and half-horse, wielding a bow and arrow) occupies what has become to the scientific community one of the most important areas of the sky. Sagittarius is centered immediately adjacent to our line of sight toward the central core of the MW galaxy. The image 'with constellation lines' (artificially added) brings forward the familiar asterism (star pattern) of the 'Tea Pot' in our nighttime sky. In another image 'with constellation lines & DSO', reference is also made to nearby deep sky objects (DSO's) where this area of the Milky Way is very densely packed with them.
Of particular interest, scientists have speculated for many years over the nature of the small and large Sagittarius star clouds which each contain 100's of thousands of stars. Both being visible by the naked (unaided) eye even in moderately light-polluted skies, these two areas are actually 'holes' (or windows) in the galactic dust and gas clouds of the Milky Way thru which we can see partial views of rich star-fields located beyond the central core of the galaxy. The nucleus core of the galaxy is known to be appx 27 thousand light years away from our solar system. Thru these 'windows' we are seeing parts of the Milky Way far beyond that.
Both the Lagoon and Trifid nebulae are extremely popular targets among amateur AP imagers; being some of the most frequently photographed objects in the summertime sky. The Lagoon is a very bright nebula, and is visible with the naked (unaided) eye, even in moderately light-polluted skies. It is one of only two (2) such nebulae that can be observed from the northern hemisphere. (The other is the wintertime 'Orion nebula'.)
Ptolemy's Cluster is a direct throw-back to some of the earliest ages of recorded history when the Greek-Egyptian scholar, Claudius Ptolemy lived in Alexandria during the 2nd century AD, and recorded seeing the cluster in his writings which we still have today. Ptolemy is thought to have been an early "polymath" (...an early-day Thomas Edison of sorts...) who is known for his significant contributions in many fields including astronomy, mathematics, and geography (among others).
In the northern hemisphere's late springtime, toward the southern extents of the Milky Way, the constellation of Sagittarius (the Centaur, a mythical creature recorded in Greek mythology that is half-man and half-horse, wielding a bow and arrow) occupies what has become to the scientific community one of the most important areas of the sky. Sagittarius is centered immediately adjacent to our line of sight toward the central core of the MW galaxy. The image 'with constellation lines' (artificially added) brings forward the familiar asterism (star pattern) of the 'Tea Pot' in our nighttime sky. In another image 'with constellation lines & DSO', reference is also made to nearby deep sky objects (DSO's) where this area of the Milky Way is very densely packed with them.
Of particular interest, scientists have speculated for many years over the nature of the small and large Sagittarius star clouds which each contain 100's of thousands of stars. Both being visible by the naked (unaided) eye even in moderately light-polluted skies, these two areas are actually 'holes' (or windows) in the galactic dust and gas clouds of the Milky Way thru which we can see partial views of rich star-fields located beyond the central core of the galaxy. The nucleus core of the galaxy is known to be appx 27 thousand light years away from our solar system. Thru these 'windows' we are seeing parts of the Milky Way far beyond that.
Both the Lagoon and Trifid nebulae are extremely popular targets among amateur AP imagers; being some of the most frequently photographed objects in the summertime sky. The Lagoon is a very bright nebula, and is visible with the naked (unaided) eye, even in moderately light-polluted skies. It is one of only two (2) such nebulae that can be observed from the northern hemisphere. (The other is the wintertime 'Orion nebula'.)
Ptolemy's Cluster is a direct throw-back to some of the earliest ages of recorded history when the Greek-Egyptian scholar, Claudius Ptolemy lived in Alexandria during the 2nd century AD, and recorded seeing the cluster in his writings which we still have today. Ptolemy is thought to have been an early "polymath" (...an early-day Thomas Edison of sorts...) who is known for his significant contributions in many fields including astronomy, mathematics, and geography (among others).