The discussion revolves around the images of the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it transits in front of the Sun, as well as questions about the authenticity of photographs of the Milky Way galaxy. Participants explore the technical aspects of capturing such images and the nature of astronomical photography.
Participants express differing views on the nature of images of the Milky Way, with some asserting they are real photographs while others argue they are artistic conceptions. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the authenticity of specific images and the methods of capturing them.
There are limitations regarding the assumptions made about the size and distance of celestial objects, as well as the definitions of what constitutes a "real" photograph in astronomical contexts.
Individuals interested in astronomy, astrophotography, and the nature of celestial imagery may find this discussion insightful.
Borek said:
wCorrect. And one more thing: The way you worded your original question sort of implies you've seen a lot of photos purported to be of the Milky Way Galaxy. That would surprise me - there aren't a lot of simulations of it out there. Sometimes when a news article has something about our galaxy, they'll include a photo, but it seems to me that most of the time they use a photo of some random sprial galaxy and are relatively clear that that's what they've done. For example, here is an article with two photos:drizzle said:and the bottom line of this is that there’s no real photo of the Milky Way and will never be [of the entire galaxy]
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/the_universe/Milkyway.html
russ_watters said:
Theelectricchild said:
, by the way it’s [she] you mean, anyway nice to meet you