                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

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

                                2022 March 28

                          Gems of a Maldivean Night
   Image Credit & Copyright: Petr Horálek (ESO Photo Ambassador, Inst. of
                              Physics in Opava)

   Explanation: The southernmost part of the Milky Way contains not only
   the stars of the Southern Cross, but the closest star system to our Sun
   -- Alpha Centauri. The Southern Cross itself is topped by the bright,
   yellowish star Gamma Crucis. A line from Gamma Crucis through the blue
   star at the bottom of the cross, Acrux, points toward the south
   celestial pole, located just above the small island in the featured
   picture -- taken in early March. That island is Madivaru of the
   Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Against faint Milky Way starlight, the
   dark Coal Sack Nebula lies just left of the cross, while farther left
   along the Milky Way are the bright stars Alpha Centauri (left) and Beta
   Centauri (Hadar). Alpha Centauri A, a Sun-like star anchoring a
   three-star system with exoplanets, is a mere 4.3 light-years distant.
   Seen from Alpha Centauri, our own Sun would be a bright yellowish star
   in the otherwise recognizable constellation Cassiopeia.

                  Almost Hyperspace: Random APOD Generator
                      Tomorrow's picture: planet planet
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