AAO image reference MISC 9. « Previous || Next »
Image and text © 1985-2002, Anglo-Australian Observatory, Photograph by David Malin.
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. For a similar reason, most of this spectacular part of the sky is never clearly seen from the most populated parts of the planet. 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.
Related Images AAT 28. Wide angle view of The southern Milky Way
MISC 10. The Milky Way in Scorpius, Ara and Norma
MISC 21. The Large and Small Magellanic Clouds
MISC 20. Comet Halley hanging in the Milky Way in 1986