Is this really REAL?!!

Hey guys, was just checking out the images on this site and saw the one below.

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/mygallery/displayimage.php?pos=-578

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/mygalle...hemilkyway.jpg



I cant believe it! I live in the heart of Sydney and have never seen the sky like this ever my entire life? is this really what the night sky is like out in rural land?
I imagine you could just point your telescope at the sky and see everything!! cystral clear!!??? you could see alll the galaxies and nebulae fair easy i imagine??


Its just given me more reason to buy my 10" dob and start treking out of the city!!


picture is from from "iceman" gallery.

Got me very excited!!
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/mygalle...e.php?pos=-578

[Kevnool (Kev)]

You better believe it Ash there real............Get out of the city and have a look around, its simply amazing what you,ll be able to see....cheers Kev.

[Solanum]

Well it doesn't quite look like that, as that is two long exposures put together. However, I can see the milky away over 2/3rds of the sky from my backyard as well as both Magallenic clouds, the lagoon nebula can be located with the naked eye and so on (note that I live in Mildura, not out of town). Occasionally I have to be up pre-dawn at a site about 40 km from Mildura for work and there the milky way is literally from horizon to horizon, Venus is so bright it looks like a searchlight, the view always blows me away and I have to spend a few minutes gazing at the sky before getting on with work.

[Kal (Andrew)]

I'd definately recommend making the effort to attend one of the Star parties that are within 2-3 hours drive from Sydney. The IIS astrocamp is coming up in about 4 weeks time, and the views from there will blow away anything that you will get from the urban parts of Sydney! You don't need a scope, infact, the first time I went to a star party I barely usedmy own scope as I was too busy looking through other peoples scopes!

[space oddity]

You better head out bush soon to see the milky way high overhead like this. Winter is peak season. You have to get away from the light pollution of Sydney or you have no hope of seeing the full glory of our galaxy.You will need to drive 2 to 3 1/2 hours out of Manly to get sufficiently out of the light dome. Although photos show more than you can see, naked eye is just as spectacular. If you head out tonight, you will get a crescent moon early and Jupiter in the main galactic centre region. Bring coffee for the drive home. Closest half decent spot is Wentworth Falls.Bring a blanket to lie on the ground and just gaze up in the sky and take it all in - no telescope required for this ! Check bom (bureau of meteorolgy) website to assess if clouds will stuff you up before you drive out.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

The Milky Way is an awesome sight under dark skies.
Even experienced amateurs get lost, unable to recognise some constellations because there are just too many stars.

[Davros (Lauren)]

Your bringing back memories of astrofest JJJnettie

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Lyinxz

is this really what the night sky is like out in rural land?

Yep if you can get to properly dark skies, say 2 hrs from a capital city and 30 min away from any large towns then yes you can easily see the milky way and the dust lane detail naked eye in Scorpio/Sagittarius . Maybe not as brightly as depicted in the photo but it sure will knock your socks off if you've never seen it before.

I live in the heart of Sydney and have never seen the sky like this ever my entire life?

Once you see how the night sky is MEANT to appear, you will understand what light pollution is all about and why its hated so much.

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

you could come out to the WSAAG site at Linden in the Blue Mountain on one of our observing nights and you will see the Milky way like that-admittedly not in colour

you will also be able to see the Small and Large Magelllanic Clouds quite clearly

[erick (Eric)]

M31, naked eye, simple! Snake Valley last Saturday night around midnight (also around -4 deg C!)

[fwhong (Wai Hong)]

Oh wow. Absolutely stunning. We need to grab our scope to one of those star parties near Melbourne.

[Wavytone]

Originally Posted by Lyinxz

I live in the heart of Sydney and have never seen the sky like this ever my entire life? is this really what the night sky is like out in rural land?

Poor you, you need to get out more... Yes it is like that, sort-of - if you are lucky with the weather.

I've lived close to the Sydney CBD for the past 30 years. These days I don't try to go observing every month, but instead each year arrange a few weekends away somewhere nice and dark, and where there are daytime activities for the family. I've just come back from 10 days in Bright, Victoria; paragliding, cycling and fishing by day, stargazing at night and the weather was on the whole superb. Not to mention 90+ wineries within an hour and a half of the place...

[GrampianStars (Rob)]

Originally Posted by erick

M31, naked eye, simple! Snake Valley last Saturday night around midnight (also around -4 deg C!)

stunning what chilled eyeballs pick up

[Bobj]

Originally Posted by erick

M31, naked eye, simple! Snake Valley last Saturday night around midnight (also around -4 deg C!)

Fancy that!!! Viewing from a deep-freeze.

M31 is naked eye visible from my front door 9pm and a balmy 21 deg C