Centaurus over La Silla Observatory
The constellation of Centaurus hovers above
the ESO 3.6-metre telescope in this spectacular
shot from the La Silla Observatory in northern
Chile. Surrounded by the mass of stars making up the Milky Way, the two bright stars right
above the telescope dome are Alpha and Beta
Centauri. Centaurus is home to the red dwarf
star Proxima Centauri, our closest stellar neighbour and the target of a scientific and outreach
project known as the Pale Red Dot campaign.
Credit: ESO/A.Santerne