Images Dated 13th January 1998

Artwork based on Mauna Kea of a telescope dome

Telescope at Mauna Kea. Artwork, based on the Mauna Kea observatory, of a telescope dome seen against the Milky Way. Observatories such at the one at Mauna Kea are placed on mountains in remote areas so that the light reaching them is affected less by the atmosphere and light from human activities. The Milky Way is a luminous band in the sky caused by the light of stars which are too numerous to be seen individually. The stars are numerous because an observer looking in their direction is viewing along the plane of our galaxy's disk. The dark areas in the Milky Way are dust clouds which hide the stars behind them

© DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY