Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2021 January 30

                        Southern Sky from 38,000 Feet
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Ralf Rohner

   Explanation: Celestial sights of the southern sky shine above a cloudy
   planet Earth in this gorgeous night sky view. The scene was captured
   from an airliner's flight deck at 38,000 feet on a steady westbound
   ride to Lima, Peru. To produce the sharp airborne astrophotograph, the
   best of a series of short exposures were selected and digitally
   stacked. The broad band of the southern Milky Way begins at top left
   with the dark Coalsack Nebula and Southern Cross. Its expanse of
   diffuse starlight encompasses the the Carina Nebula and large Gum
   Nebula toward the right. Canopus, alpha star of Carina and second
   brightest star in Earth's night is easy to spot below the Milky Way, as
   is the dwarf galaxy known as the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Small
   Magellanic cloud just peeks above the cloudy horizon. Of course, the
   South Celestial Pole also lies within the starry southern frame.

                    Tomorrow's picture: rocks from space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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