Araucaria and Milky Way, © Stéphane Guisard, "Los Cielos de Chile"

Description Araucaria is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. Araucaria are mainly large trees with a massive erect stem, reaching a height of 30-80 m. The horizontal, spreading branches grow in whorls and are covered with leathery or needle-like leaves. Many if not all current populations are relicts, and of restricted distribution, for example in Chile like on this picture. These columnar trees are living fossils, dating back to early in the Mesozoic age (copied from wikipedia). This image was taken from the Lake region in the South of Chile and shows the Milky Way with the Galactic center region rising vertically, the Large and small Magellanic Clouds near the horizon and all the 'southern summer' southern sky...
Commands Click on the image and use mouse or Arrow Keys to move Right/Left/Up/Down, Shift/Ctrl Keys to zoom In/Out .... have a nice trip !! .....narrower window here and 'fisheye' hemispheric view here.




Fisheye hemispheric view