Southern Cross Shines Above Palms in Skywatcher Photo

Also known as Crux, the Southern Cross is a constellation found in the southern hemisphere. It is easy to see in the sky and can be identified by a cross shape pattern. CREDIT: Ladanyi Tamas / TWAN View full size image

Palm trees sway on an April night as the Southern Cross was visible over South America in this skywatching image. The image was taken by Tamas Ladanyi of the World at Night from Brazil in April, 2012.

“The Southern Cross was a great experience among the palm and banana trees,” Ladanyi wrote on his website.

The Southern Cross is a constellation found in the southern hemisphere and is also called Crux. The constellation is easy to see in the sky and can be identified by a cross shape pattern. [Amazing Skywatcher Photos of the Universe]

The Coal Sack nebula can also be seen, which is a dark region to one side of the Southern Cross. While it looks like a hole in the Milky Way, the region is a dark patch silhouetted by bright stars. For Ladanyi, the beauty of Brazil’s night sky was one of the most memorable parts of his trip to South America.

“Walking around the Copacabana beach, [it] has been ascertained that the stars are worthy of Pele and the city of Rio,” Ladanyi wrote.

Editor's note: If you have an amazing skywatching photo you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com.

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