A wide-angle image from Chile shows the Desert Staircase sculpture in front of the Milky Way, zodiacal light, airglow and distant landmarks in the Atacama Desert. It was captured in July 2025.
01Summary
- 01The featured wide-angle composite was captured in July 2025 in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
- 02The image shows the Desert Staircase sculpture in the foreground with the near-vertical band of the Milky Way behind it.
- 03Visible in the sky are zodiacal light, green and red airglow, the star Spica and the Small Magellanic Cloud.
- 04On the horizon, the scene includes the Andes Mountains, Licancabur volcano and the lights of San Pedro de Atacama.
02Why it matters
It gives readers a striking view of the night sky over one of the world’s clearest observing sites. The picture also shows how astronomy can combine natural sky phenomena with a specific landscape in Chile.
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