|
|
|
Scorpius Close to the heart of the Milky Way, Antares is the red giant heart of the Scorpion. This star is so bright that I cannot look at it without seeing flashes of other colors. This is particularly noticable in binoculars and telescopes. It is either the shimmering through the thick air near the horizon or the triggering of adjacent cone cells in my retina; maybe both effects are at work. Where I live, Scorpius is only visible briefly during the summer months, but it brings with it the rich areas of the Milky Way's center, territory that is full of interesting clusters and nebulas. The image above looks quite rich and complex, but is actually lacking the complexity and detail that real photographs can record. |