No, that"s not a downpour of lightsabers—but it"s no typical night sky either. Stargazing here at Paranal Observatory, on a mountaintop in Chile"s desolate Atacama Desert, you"ll get one of the clearest possible naked-eye views of the southern skies. This "lightsaber" effect comes from the photo"s long exposure: What we"re seeing is these stars" paths as they track across the night sky due to our planet"s rotation. The dazzling colors indicate temperature, from chilly red (5,000-ish degrees Fahrenheit) to balmy blue (temps in the tens of thousands).
Happy Astronomy Day!
Today in History
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World Meteorological Day
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Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
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The otherworldly red river
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Welcome to my neck of the woods
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Toledo, Spain
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A gentle wind fills this sail
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The Zugspitze: Germany s highest point
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Unearthing a queen s lost tale
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Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
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American goldfinch
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Avatars of the Wolf Moon
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The desert blooms
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Victory in Europe, 75 years ago
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International Tiger Day
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Manatee Appreciation Day
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Kiteboarding and windsurfing in Croatia
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Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
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Valentines Day
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The natural ice wall of Misotsuchi, Chichibu, Japan
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A reflection of Europe s past
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Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
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A different view of sharks
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Staring down winter
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At the shore of an inland sea
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Santo Antão Island in the Republic of Cabo Verde
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National Panda Day
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Wildebeest on the move
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Signs of life in the Empty Quarter
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Celebrating World Art Day
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A look at Uranus, seventh planet from the sun
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

