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.

                                2020 March 26

                              Andromeda Station
               Composite Image Credit & Copyright: Ralf Rohner

   Explanation: This surreal picture isn't from a special effects sci-fi
   movie. It is a digital composite of frames of the real Andromeda
   Galaxy, also known as M31, rising over a real mountain. Exposures
   tracking the galaxy and background stars have been digitally combined
   with separate exposures of the foreground terrain. All background and
   foreground exposures were made back to back with the same camera and
   telephoto lens on the same night from the same location. In the
   "Deepscape" combination they produce a stunning image that reveals a
   range of brightness and color that your eye can't quite see on its own.
   Still, it does look like you could ride a cable car up this mountain
   and get off at the station right next to Andromeda. But at 2.5 million
   light-years from Earth the big beautiful spiral galaxy really is a
   little out of reach as a destination. Don't worry, though. Just wait 5
   billion years and the Andromeda Galaxy will come to you. This Andromeda
   Station is better known as Weisshorn, the highest peak of the ski area
   in Arosa, Switzerland.

                 Tomorrow's picture: a little drop of galaxy
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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