B What are these bright spots in this zoomable image of the Milky Way?

[simbiote3]

I just recently found this zoomable image of the milky way and I have been really curious about what the 2 really bright spots are. There is one in the bottom left corner and another near the bottom center.

https://www.eso.org/public/usa/images/eso1242a/zoomable/

 

[jedishrfu]

Usually the bright spots are just stars that happen to closer to us than the galaxy being photographed. Its like taking the photo of someone in a crowd, there will always be someone standing closer that you capture too.

In the astronomical case, we are inside the milky way taking photos through the stars around us to capture something light years away in another galaxy like taking a picture of the moon while a plane passes in front of it.

 

[Orodruin]

Another similar effect: Imagine you are out walking. You see a flock of hundreds of pigeons flying in the air some km away. Now imagine the size of a pigeon flying right at you a few meters away. What is more noticeable in your perception?

 

[jedishrfu]

Another similar effect: Imagine you are out walking. You see a flock of hundreds of pigeons flying in the air some km away. Now imagine the size of a pigeon flying right at you a few meters away. What is more noticeable in your perception?

You're about to be smacked with a dropping. :-)

 

[Bandersnatch]

The left one is a globular cluster, though. The right one does look like a star embedded in or in front of a nebula.
I'm trying to identify which are those, but it's not as easy as I thought.

 

[Drakkith]

I just recently found this zoomable image of the milky way and I have been really curious about what the 2 really bright spots are. There is one in the bottom left corner and another near the bottom center.

https://www.eso.org/public/usa/images/eso1242a/zoomable/

Are you referring to the globular clusters? The very bright, tightly packed clusters of stars?

 

[Bandersnatch]

Alright, the left one is Messier 22, the right one must be just some nearby star. Maybe Eta Sagittarii since the coordinates look about right.

The scene shows the bulge area spanning galactic coordinates: b = +5, -10; l=+10, -10; if somebody wants to ponder this more.
Here's the associated paper: https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2012/08/aa19448-12/aa19448-12.html

 

[phyzguy]

Alright, the left one is Messier 22, the right one must be just some nearby star. Maybe Eta Sagittarii since the coordinates look about right.

The scene shows the bulge area spanning galactic coordinates: b = +5, -10; l=+10, -10; if somebody wants to ponder this more.
Here's the associated paper: https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2012/08/aa19448-12/aa19448-12.html

I got interested in this and drew the attached map showing the corners of the scene. I think you're right about Eta Sagittarii, but I decided the globular cluster is actually M28, not M22.

 

[Bandersnatch]

but I decided the globular cluster is actually M28, not M22.

Well, then. You take it up with the authors of the paper, since they identify it as M22
It even looks like M22 - it's got this 'leg' of three stars extending at an angle.

M28 is there:

 

[phyzguy]

Well, then. You take it up with the authors of the paper, since they identify it as M22
It even looks like M22 - it's got this 'leg' of three stars extending at an angle.
M28 is there:

You're right, of course. Sorry to muddy the water. I must have my field boundary in Post #8 misplaced.

 

[Spinnor]

From the same zoomable picture, can you please explain the "dark stars" circled in red below?

Zoomed view of the bright object circled in yellow below.

Can you explain the red dot below? Edit, there is at least one more red dot not far from the image below.

The above is the relatively bright object circled in yellow below,

Thanks.

 

[Drakkith]

Looks like image processing artifacts to me.

 

[davenn]

rom the same zoomable picture, can you please explain the "dark stars" circled in red below?

Looks like image processing artifacts to me.

Agree with Drakkith, they all look like imaging/processing artifacts

 

[stefan r]

What makes the blue streaks counter clockwise from the red and green?

 

[Drakkith]

What makes the blue streaks counter clockwise from the red and green?

Most likely, the telescope was rotated slightly between the red, green, and blue exposures. That would cause the diffraction spikes to be rotated when the images are registered and stacked.

 

[Dennis Plews]

I just recently found this zoomable image of the milky way and I have been really curious about what the 2 really bright spots are. There is one in the bottom left corner and another near the bottom center.

https://www.eso.org/public/usa/images/eso1242a/zoomable/

They appear to be newly formed stars that are illuminating their natal gas clouds.