The Sky Would Look Really Different

My former colleagues Dennis diCicco and Sean Walker (from back in my days at Sky and Telescope are first-rate astrophotographers.  I’ve seen many of their images over the years, and marvel at their skill.

So, when I saw this one, posted on Astronomy Picture of the Day, I was bowled over at the creative ingenuity – AND fantastic beauty — of their work.

This is a composite image they created using very sensitive cameras and 40 hours of exposures.  What you see here are the Orion-Eridanus superbubble region of the sky, Barnard’s Loop, and other nebulae.  This image shows objects at a level of detail that you just can’t pick up with a quick glance at the sky with your unaided eyes (or even through a telescope, for that matter.  You’d need sensitive eyes and the ability to stare at the sky for a LONG time to see this view.

Head on over to the APOD site to see the image in full-size beauty, and also with an overlay of constellation outlines.

And, while you’re at it, check out The World at Night — a website that presents images of the world’s landmarks set against the starry backdrop of the night.  It’s a great place to see stunning astro-imagery from photographers around the world. Thanks to Daniel Fischer for tweeting us about this; thanks to Dennis and Sean for their gorgeous work!