Galactic centre. Composite infrared image of the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The image combines data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MAS

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Galactic centre. Composite infrared image of the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The image combines data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) project using ground based telescopes and NASA's Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) satellite. The Galactic plane runs horizontally through the image and the Galactic centre (yellow) is at centre. Infrared can peer through the dense dust that obscures the Galactic centre at optical wavelengths. The field of view in this image is about 2 by 5 degrees. The MSX satellite was launched in April 1996 and the 2MASS project began in 1997 with the aim of surveying the entire sky using near-infrared technology.

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Size: 4472px × 1776px
Photo credit: © 2MASS PROJECT/NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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