Stars wallpapers (12)

ESO's VLT reveals the Carina Nebula's hidden secrets.

The second of three images of ESO's GigaGalaxy Zoom project is a new and wonderful 340 megapixel vista of the central parts of our galactic home, a 34 by 20-degree wide image that provides us with a view as experienced by amateur astronomers around the world. Taken by Stephane Guisard, an ESO engineer and world-renowned astrophotographer, from Cerro Paranal, home of ESO's Very Large Telescope, this image directly benefits from the quality of Paranal's sky, one of the best on the planet. The image shows the region spanning the sky from the constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer) to Scorpius (the Scorpion). The very colourful Rho Ophiuchi and Antares region features prominently to the right, as well as much darker areas, such as the Pipe and Snake Nebulae. The dusty lane of our Milky Way runs obliquely through the image, dotted with remarkable bright, reddish nebulae, such as the Lagoon and the Trifid Nebulae, as well as NGC 6357 and NGC 6334. This dark lane also hosts the very centre of our Galaxy, where a supermassive black hole is lurking.

ESO/J. Emerson/VISTA. Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit

Taken on Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia about half an hour after sunset.

Nikon D600, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED.

Photo settings: 14 mm, f/2, 30 seconds, ISO 500.

Taken from the Hirschberg near Bad Hindelang, Germany.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 DX.

Photo settings: 11 mm.

It is a composition of three pictures stitched together in Photoshop, but the street and the mountains were taken from the same place as the first Velocity image here on InterfaceLIFT.

Adobe Photoshop.

Canon EOS Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X Pro 11-16mm f/2.8 DX.

A motorway heading in the direction of Limassol city, Cyprus. The appearance of the Milky Way in the sky was totally unexpected as it couldn't be seen with the naked eye.

Adobe Photoshop.

Nikon D700, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED.

Photo settings: 14 mm, f/3, 30 seconds, ISO 800.

Taken on a night with a full moon at Lake Wakatipu, near Queenstown, New Zealand. The view was crystal clear and very bright. So I went for a 30-second long exposure, ISO 400 at f/2.8. Made it almost look like daylight...

Adobe Photoshop.

Nikon D800, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED.

Photo settings: 14 mm, f/2, 30 seconds, ISO 400.

Taken at Lake Wakatipu during my stay in New Zealand earlier this year. Enjoy!

Adobe Photoshop.

Nikon D800, Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED.

Photo settings: 14 mm, f/2, 30 seconds, ISO 200.

I stayed over the night on the Hirschberg near Bad Hindelang, Bavaria, Germany. At midnight when I arrived but the sky was full of clouds. However, at the moment I woke up (at 3 a.m.) it was completely clear. It was cold so I couldn't sleep. Finally it was absolutely worth it to stay there :) I want to dedicate this to my friend Melli :) I hope you like it!

Canon EOS 550D, Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX AF 11-16mm f/2.8.