Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

14th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Altered Images
The Moon drifts in front of the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae

This photo is a 3-hour long exposure of the central band of our Milkyway Galaxy, showing The Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae, about 4,077 light years away. I added the moon to show how large these cosmic structures are in the night sky.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2015
Date Uploaded: 07.2016
Photo Location: Mesa, Arizona, United States of America
Copyright: © Marc Leatham