360º panorama of zodiacal light
Taken by Juan Carlos Casado on March 8, 2021 @
Teide Observatory (IAC), Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain)
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Date Taken: 2021:04:23 21:51:28
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Details:
This circular 360º panorama represents the entire sky visible throughout the night from the eastern horizon (on the left), to the western horizon (right), with the zodiacal light extending (in the center of the image), as a luminous band across the sky.
Last March I spent several days at Teide Observatory (IAC, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias), island of Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain).
This epoch of the year is the best time to observe the zodiacal light, especially towards the west in the evening twilight. The geographical latitude of the Canary Islands (about 28º N), also allows its disposition, which follows the axis of the ecliptic, to be almost perpendicular to the horizon, making its visualization spectacular.
During three full nights (March 8, 9 and 10, 2021) I made five series of images were taken at different times of the night to capture the ecliptic in different areas of the sky at the best time (highest possible height above the horizon). Extra series of photographs were taken to capture the zodiacal light around astronomical twilight.
In addition, eighteen more photos were taken to obtain the panoramic view of the skyline of Teide Observatory at the time when the antisolar point culminated in the sky. This is the position of Gegenschein (upper central part of the zodiacal light, opposite to the position of the Sun, in the lower zone).
In total about 400 images were captured using a relatively simple instrumentation: modified mirrorless camera (full visible spectrum), very bright wide-angle lens on a static tripod.
For processing, all the images were stitched to create a rectangular panorama covering the entire sky from west horizon to east horizon throughout the night.
From the rectangular panorama, a geometric transformation was performed in stereographic projection, so that the zodiacal light appears as a concentric ring of light spanning the entire sky, from the eastern horizon (left) to the western horizon (right).
The skyline of the Observatory, obtained from an observation tower in the northern part of the Observatory, shows Teide volcano on the right (3,718 m), the dome of the OGS (Optical Ground System, ESA), different domes of robotic telescopes and on the left the solar towers.
This image is part of the EELabs project. EELabs (eelabs.eu ) is a project funded by the European Union INTERREG. The aim of EELabs is to maximize the energy efficiency of new lighting technology -mainly LEDs- while minimizing its effect in the form of light pollution -sky glow- on natural ecosystems in Macaronesia.
Photographer's website:
https://STARRYEARTH
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