# Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos[0]! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 

2021 July 19:
=> /images/ForestWindow_Godward_2236.jpg    Framed by Trees: A Window to the Galaxy  (2236 x 2236 pixels)

Image Credit and Copyright: Will Godward[.5]

Explanation: The photographer had this shot in mind for some time. He knew that objects overhead are the brightest[1] -- since their light is scattered[2] the least by atmospheric air[2]. He also knew that the core of our Milky Way Galaxy[4] was just about straight up near midnight around this time of year in South Australia[5]. 

Chasing his mental picture, he ventured deep inside the Kuipto Forest[6] where tall radiata pines[7] blocked out much of the sky -- but not in this clearing. There, through a window framed by trees, he captured his envisioned combination of local and distant nature. Sixteen exposures of both trees and the Milky Way Galaxy[8] were recorded. 

Antares[9] is the bright orange star to left of our Galaxy's central plane[10], while Alpha Centauri[11] is the bright star just to the right of the image center. The direction toward our Galaxy's center[12] is below Antares. 

Although in a few hours the Earth's rotation[13] moved the Galactic plane up and to the left -- soon invisible behind the timber, his mental image was secured forever -- and is featured here[14]. 

=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html    0
=> https://www.instagram.com/godwardphotography    .5
=> http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys445/lectures/atmos/atmos.html   1
=> https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/maps-tools-publications/satellite-imagery-air-photos/remote-sensing-tutorials/introduction/interactions-atmosphere/14635    2
=> https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/science/atmosphere-layers2.html    3
=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100831.html    4
=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Australia    5
=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuitpo_Forest    6
=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinus_radiata    7
=> https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/milkyway1.html    8
=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120417.html    9
=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180517.html    10
=> https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/alpha-centauri-is-the-nearest-bright-star/    11
=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210602.html    12
=> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200701.html    13
=> https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ0Mj-sjnw5/    14


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``` slug : apod
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