Posted on 03/08/2015 7:09:22 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: The center of our Milky Way Galaxy is hidden from the prying eyes of optical telescopes by clouds of obscuring dust and gas. But in this stunning vista, the Spitzer Space Telescope's infrared cameras, penetrate much of the dust revealing the stars of the crowded galactic center region. A mosaic of many smaller snapshots, the detailed, false-color image shows older, cool stars in bluish hues. Reddish glowing dust clouds are associated with young, hot stars in stellar nurseries. The very center of the Milky Way was only recently found capable of forming newborn stars. The galactic center lies some 26,000 light-years away, toward the constellation Sagittarius. At that distance, this picture spans about 900 light-years.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit: Susan Stolovy (SSC/Caltech) et al., JPL-Caltech, NASA]
Never ceases to amaze. Open the big one and zoom in as far as your browser will go. If your contrast is high enough - it’s hard to find more than a couple pixels in a row that doesn’t contain a star, which tells me it’s just not a high enough resolution image, because there’s probably a star behind every pixel in the image.
Thank you. The distances in space are awe inspiring.
Upon viewing panoramas such as this I am struck again with the notion that sentient beings at the core of our galaxy must certainly be in communication with each other star to star. Also it is equally true that the density of light prevents them from the grander vista of an infinitude of galaxies visible to us on the outer rim.
Only the speed of thought can bridge these gaps.
The center of our galaxy is a harsh environment. Not impossible for life to exist there but it would have to endure a lot more than we do.
“Clouds of obscuring dust”
Those darn teenagers are hot-ridding down the dirt roads again.
Makes me even more happier to live in a “dull” part of the galaxy.
I’m sure the view from some planet there is awesome, but the radiation, stars flying all over the place, and the gigantic black hole nearby, isnt worth the price.
“Enjoy a Milky Way, with the rich Galactic Center...”
(Get a Star with every pixel !)
Awesome!
Looks chaotic. But God must have a plan.
Thank you for the post and ping, Sir.
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