Poster maker: AnNing (file photo from Beijing astronomy enthusiast Liu Bin)
"Galactic Arch Bridge" is common, "Milky Eye" is uncommon. According to astronomical science experts, in the early morning of April 26, the observation of the "Eye of the Milky Way" ushered in a good opportunity, at which time, the moon will rise directly below the "Milky Way Arch Bridge", and the two form a "big eye" in the night sky, romantic and magical.
This is the "Milky Way Arch Bridge" photographed by Beijing astronomy enthusiast Wang Junfeng on May 11, 2019 in Pingshan Lake, Zhangye, Gansu Province. (Courtesy of me)
The Milky Way, made up of hundreds of billions of stars, resembles a milky white ribbon that spans the starry sky. On clear spring and summer nights, when the Milky Way first rose from the horizon, it spanned the entire eastern sky and looked like a crooked arch bridge from a distance, which was vividly called the "Milky Way Arch Bridge" by astronomy enthusiasts.
This is the "Milky Way Arch Bridge" photographed by Chongqing astronomy enthusiast Dai Jianfeng on May 12, 2016 in Huangshan, Anhui Province. (Courtesy of me)
"When the moon runs directly below the arch bridge, the arch bridge and the moon form a 'big eye', the arch bridge is the 'orbit', the moon is the 'eye', astronomy enthusiasts figuratively call the 'eye of the milky way' or 'eye of the silver arch'. When the two brightest stars in the night sky , Venus and Jupiter , appear directly below the arch bridge , some astronomers also refer to them as the 'Eye of the Milky Way', but because the brightness of these two stars is much different from that of the Moon, the ornamentation is much worse. Xiu Lipeng, director of the Tianjin Astronomical Society and an expert in astronomical science popularization, said.
This is the "Eye of the Milky Way" photographed by Beijing astronomy enthusiast Li Zhaoqi on May 20, 2017 in the Yunwu Mountains of Hebei Province. (Courtesy of me)
In April, the Milky Way still appears in the second half of the night, with a graceful posture, spanning the entire eastern sky, and the high point is significantly higher than that of March, which is also a very suitable time for observing and photographing the "Milky Way Arch Bridge".
This is the "Milky Way Arch Bridge" photographed by Beijing astronomy enthusiast Chen Tianyu on April 22, 2017. (Courtesy of me)
Xiu Lipeng said that from April 24 to 28, the moon will be located at dawn in the low eastern sky, of which, at about 3:30 a.m. on April 26, the moon just ran just below the arch bridge, and the rising moon resembled a shining pupil.
This is the "Eye of the Milky Way" photographed by Beijing astronomy enthusiast Li Zhaoqi in Inner Mongolia on April 22, 2017. (Courtesy of me)
It is worth mentioning that from now until the middle of October this year, the bright Venus will appear as a "day star" in the low southeast, which is very eye-catching. During this period, it also has the opportunity to appear directly below the "Galactic Arch Bridge", and interested friends can try to observe and shoot.
Although the naked eye can see the "Galactic Arch Bridge" and the "Galactic Eye", in order to "freeze" the whole picture, it is necessary to use the panoramic stitching shooting technique.
This is the "Eye of the Milky Way" photographed by Beijing astronomy enthusiast Wang Zhuoxiao in Inner Mongolia on June 18, 2014. (Courtesy of me)
Xiu Lipeng reminded that the best time to observe and shoot the "Milky Way Arch Bridge" in April is around 2:00 a.m., around 12:00 a.m. in May, and around 22:00 in June. Interested friends have had the opportunity to observe and photograph the "Eye of the Milky Way" during these three months.
Producer: Hu Qinghai
Planner: Liu Xinhui
Reporter: Zhou Runjian
Editors: Lian Changyan, Tang Jianhui
It was co-produced by Xinhua News Agency and Tianjin Branch of Xinhua News Agency
Produced by Starry Sky Studios