A detail image of the larger composite. DECaPS2/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Image processing: M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab)
A massive new composite released older this year reveals a misunderstanding number of stars in the Milky Way. An international collaboration gathered from multiple telescopes at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile, the stunning work captures a staggering 3.32 billion godhead objects wideness 130 degrees of the night sky—for context, the NSF’s NOIRLab team, which is responsible for the 21,400-image composite, shares that this stretch “equates to 13,000 times the weedy zone of the full moon.”
Requiring well-nigh 260 hours of observation, this new release follows data shared in 2017, although its unrestrictedness is far greater and allows for a well-constructed 360-degree panoramic view. The full image shown unelevated highlights the Milky Way’s vibrant wreath containing most of the stellar objects, while the detailed yield whilom captures an extraordinarily well-matured area. Researchers said well-nigh the density in a statement:
While this profusion of stars and pebbles makes for trappy images, it moreover makes the galactic plane challenging to observe. The visionless tendrils of pebbles seen threading through this image swizzle starlight and suck out fainter stars entirely, and the light from longish nebulae interferes with any attempts to measure the splendor of individual objects. Another rencontre arises from the sheer number of stars, which can overlap in the image and make it difficult to unwind individual stars from their neighbors.
In wing to the standalone images, astronomers moreover released an interactive version for those interested in exploring specific locations and details within the godhead expanse. (via Kottke)
DECaPS2/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/E. Slawik Image processing: M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab)
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