Advertorial - Milky Way Center Gigapixel

Adam Jesionkiewicz - Aug 23 2023

2.5 Gigapixel Milky Way Panorama:
Unraveling the Secrets Behind Its Creation

The image you see above depicts the Galactic Center, the mysterious and magnetizing core that defines the very essence of our Milky Way galaxy. This rotational center is more than just a point in space; it's a bustling region of cosmic activity dominated by a supermassive black hole of approximately 4.100 million solar masses. This black hole is what powers the compact radio source known as Sagittarius A*

It's intriguing to note that while the Galactic Center is a remarkable 26,670 light-years away from our planet, we can still observe its splendors from Earth, particularly in the direction of the constellations Sagittarius, Ophiuchus, and Scorpius. These constellations are where the densest part of the Milky Way, with its myriad of stars, dust, and gas, appears brightest in our night sky.

Additionally, the area surrounding the Galactic Center is replete with a variety of celestial objects. Dense clusters of stars, clouds of gas, and pockets of intense radiation create a dynamic environment. As we look towards this region, we are effectively gazing into the densest part of our galaxy, where stars are born, live, and eventually die, often in explosive and spectacular ways.

Understanding the Galactic Center is pivotal for astronomers. Not only does it provide insight into the nature of black holes and their immense gravitational forces, but it also offers a glimpse into the early life of our galaxy and the processes that have shaped it into what we see today.

Is capturing such a photo possible from Earth's ground?

There are around 10 million stars within one parsec of the Galactic Center, dominated by red giants, with a significant population of massive supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars from star formation in the region around 1 million years ago. You can see a similar number of stars in the frame of this photo.

This photograph was taken using an one-of-a-kind observational setup consisting of two identical telescopes optimized for astrophotography. This kind of configuration allows for covering large portions of the night sky in a short time - the entire photographic material was collected over the course of a single night.

This picture was created on a desert farm in Namibia, many miles from the nearest settlement, in an area completely free of artificial light pollution.

In a recent PetaPixel interview, the author of the image - Bartosz Wojczyński pointed out that his use of DSLRs, as opposed to specialized astrophotography cameras, allows the night sky to be displayed in its natural colors. This replicates what the human eye would see if it were sufficiently light-sensitive.

“The Milky Way comes out yellow-orange, as this is the dominant star color in our galaxy. The color of the nebulae is caused by ionized hydrogen which emits most of its light in the red part of the visible spectrum (H-alpha, 656 nm wavelength),” he says.

There are around 10 million stars within one parsec of the Galactic Center, dominated by red giants, with a significant population of massive supergiants and Wolf-Rayet stars from star formation in the region around 1 million years ago. You can see a similar number of stars in the frame of this photo.

This photograph was taken using a one-of-a-kind observational setup consisting of two identical telescopes optimized for astrophotography. The entire photographic material was collected over the course of a single night from a desert farm in Namibia, many miles from the nearest settlement, in an area completely free of artificial light pollution.

Think it's one shot? How many photos do you see in this masterpiece?

Making a photograph of the Galactic Center is no ordinary task. Due to its expansive nature and the position of Earth within the Milky Way, the center is not fully visible to us in a single shot. Photographers aiming to capture its grandeur must employ techniques that are both meticulous and time-consuming. In essence, as our planet rotates, different sections of the sky and the galaxy come into view. This is a challenge, but also an opportunity.

Making a photograph of the Galactic Center is no ordinary task. Due to its expansive nature and the position of Earth within the Milky Way, the center is not fully visible to us in a single shot. In essence, as our planet rotates, different sections of the sky and the galaxy come into view.

To capture the entire Galactic Center, the photographer had to embark on an all-night vigil. The chosen method was to photograph the galaxy piece by piece, utilizing an exposure time of 4 minutes for each individual pane.

But capturing the images was only the beginning. Once all the shots were taken, the post-processing challenge began. Combining these numerous images into one cohesive picture demanded both technological prowess and an artist's touch. Each pane had to be meticulously aligned, adjusted for brightness and contrast, and then seamlessly stitched together.

The chosen method was to photograph the galaxy piece by piece, utilizing an exposure time of 4 minutes for each individual pane. Once all the shots were taken, the post-processing challenge began. Combining these numerous images into one cohesive picture demanded both technological prowess and an artist's touch. Each pane had to be meticulously aligned, adjusted for brightness and contrast, and then seamlessly stitched together.

The final result of this laborious process was nothing short of a masterpiece: a breathtaking mosaic of 110 panes (55 per telescope) in a total resolution of nearly 2.5 gigapixels.

Every star, every nebula, and every dust lane in the captured sections of the Milky Way came together in harmony, presenting a view of our galaxy that is both expansive and detailed.

This makes it one of the largest photographs of the cosmos ever taken from the surface of our planet, with an unparalleled detail and abundance of deep sky objects included on a single image.

The final result of this laborious process was nothing short of a masterpiece: a breathtaking mosaic of 110 panes (55 per telescope) in a total resolution of nearly 2.5 gigapixels.

This makes it one of the largest photographs of the cosmos ever taken from the surface of our planet, with an unparalleled detail and abundance of deep sky objects included on a single image.

From Earth to the Stars: Watch the Behind-the-Scenes Video!

CREDITS TO THE AUTHOR: BARTOSZ WOJCZYŃSKI

With a passion for astronomy and over a decade of experience in astrophotography, Bartosz has won numerous prestigious awards, including Astrobin's Image of the Day and NASA's APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day).

As an organizer of astrophotographic expeditions, Bartosz ventures to the darkest corners of the globe. His photographic expertise spans a diverse range, from deep sky images and extreme lunar close-ups to breathtaking astroscapes that showcase the splendor of outer space in a wide field. In his day-to-day work, Bartosz specializes in image processing and 3D graphics.

With a passion for astronomy and over a decade of experience in astrophotography, Bartosz has won numerous prestigious awards, including Astrobin's Image of the Day and NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. As an organizer of astrophotographic expeditions, Bartosz ventures to the darkest corners of the globe.

Want to own a piece of this incredible Milky Way photo?
Unwrap this Panoramic Poster!

A zoomable, high-resolution version of the photo taken by Wojczyński can be found on his website and is also available to buy as prints that can reach lengths of up to 78 inches (two meters).

A zoomable, high-resolution version of the photo taken by Wojczyński can be found on his website and is also available to buy as prints that can reach lengths of up to 78 inches (two meters).