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> Souther Milky Way form Centaurus to Carina

Souther Milky Way form Centaurus to Carina

author: David Malin Images/Novapix

reference: a-vlc01-00050

Image Size 300 DPI: 28 * 22 cm

Most of the area of the southern Milky Way covered by this picture never sets for those of us who live at southern latitudes south on -30 degrees. The main constellations here are Centaurus, Crux and Carina, containing some of the most interesting, beautiful and bizzare astronomical objects, including the nearest stars. Alpha Centauri is at lower left and with its companion, beta points (more or less) to the Southern Cross, which in turn lies alongside the Coalsack, one of the nearest dust clouds. Further along the Milky Way is the astonishing Carina nebula, which is home to eta Carinae, probably the most massive star known, and a prime candidate for the next Galactic supernova. It is in Carina that the Sagittarius arm of our galaxy curves sharply away from us, so we see deep into a rich star-forming region.

Keywords for this photo:

ASTRONOMY - CARINA - COAL SACK - CONSTELLATION - CRUX - ETA CARINAE - MILKY WAY - NEBULA - SOUTHERN CROSS - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - STAR -