Night Sky from Antarctica
August 22, 2018
Photographer: Jorgelina Alvarez
Summary Authors: Jorgelina Alvarez; Jim Foster
The photo above shows an amazing night sky as viewed from Marambio Base (Argentina), Antarctica, in the early morning hours of May 14, 2018. There's very little light on the Antarctic Peninsula at this time of year (polar winter) so if the weather is clear, the stars are breathtaking and the Milky Way conspicuously arches across the entire sky. The two bright stars, at left center, in the constellation Centaurus (Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri) point the way to the Southern Cross and the dark nebula known as the Coalsack -- above the middle antenna. The Large Magellanic Cloud (a dwarf galaxy) is at upper left. At bottom center the planet Jupiter blazes away. Note that the faint streaks on this 20-second exposure are either satellites or meteors.
Photo Details: Composite of 6 photos; ISO 4000; 20-second exposure; f2.8; 20 mm; processed in CS6.