Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science

Zoom into the Milky Way: 84 million stars revealed – big picture

Big Picture : Milky Way VISTA survey telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile
Most spiral galaxies, including the Milky Way, have a large concentration of ancient stars surrounding their core that astronomers call the bulge. Understanding how it formed is vital for understanding the galaxy as a whole, but the stars are hidden by dust that blocks visible light. So astronomers used the very sensitive infrared detectors of the 4.1-metre Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (Vista) at the Paranal Observatory in Chile to create this stunning image. Click on the picture to see the entire image Illustration: ESO
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.