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The Great Rift in the Milky Way

The "Great Rift" in the Milky Way is a group of dark nebulae made up of dust and gas that blocks the light of stars behind it. This dark matter lies between us and the numerous stars and star clouds that comprise the Milky Way - our own galaxy seen from the inside.

The Great Rift roughly divides the Milky Way in two and stretches about 120 degrees from Centaurus through the Summer Triangle and into Cygnus. In this image, it runs from Sagittarius and Ophiuchus at lower right up through Scutum and Serpens Cauda and into Aquila at upper left. Altair, Alpha Aquilae, is the brightest star in the image at left.

Exposure Data
  • Lens: Canon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Zoom lens
  • Focal Length: 18 mm
  • F/stop: f/4.5
  • Exposure: 5 x 600 seconds (50 minutes total exposure)
  • ISO: 1600
  • Camera: Modified Canon EOS 1000D (Digital Rebel XS) DSLR
  • Mode: Raw
  • White Balance: Custom
  • In-Camera Noise Reduction: Off
  • Filter: None
  • Mount: Takahashi EM200
  • Date: May 20, 2012
  • Start Time: 3:25 a.m. EDT
  • Location: Cherry Springs, PA
  • Calibration: Darks, Bias in Images Plus
  • Processing: Photoshop CS5





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