Winter starry landscape

Snow-covered trees under a magnificent night sky, at Torres del Paine National Park, Southern Patagonia (Chile´s XII Region). The two brightest stars in the prominent Milky Way band are Alpha (above) and Beta (below) Centauri. A bit lower on the right, the globular cluster Omega Centauri is spotted, while the Small Magellanic Cloud, together with the globular cluster 47 Tucanae are visible on the left, above the trees. Chile's magnificent desert skies are renowned for their clarity. Also in other parts of this long country conditions for star gazing can be phenomenal.