| All of the 
							stars in the 
							night sky are residents 
							of a 
							galaxy - the
							Milky Way. We are also residents 
							of this galaxy. The 
							Earth orbits the 
							Sun, and the
							Sun orbits the center of
							our galaxy. Because of our 
							position, we can see some of the galaxy as a band 
							stretching across the sky.
 
								
									|  | To view the band of the 
									Milky Way, 
									travel to dark skies - away from city lights 
									- is required. When you see this for the 
									first time, the feeling is unforgettable. 
									The larger bulge on the left side of the 
									image is the 
									center of our galaxy. |  More information on the 
							Milky Way is available in 
							the 
							Our Galaxy section. 
							 The image above is an all-sky image 
							taken from the
							
							Southern Hemisphere. An image like this is 
							possible with the use of a fish-eye lens on a 35mm 
							camera body (or CCD camera). The object near the top of the image is 
							a comet. The lights on the right side of the image 
							are from a distant town. 
							Back to Top
 |