A telescope in Chile has captured some of the most detailed photos of the Milky Way galaxy from the southern hemisphere.
The Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment telescope, known as APEX, just completed a survey of the galaxy during which it mapped the galactic plane that is visible from the southern hemisphere. In its quest, the telescope was able to map an area four times the size of previous surveys and showcases the galaxy’s cold gas. It also includes a bevy of star formations.
APEX, which is run in collaboration with the European Southern Observatory, is located 5100 m above sea level on Chiles’s Chajnantor Plateau in Chile’s Atacama region.

The Observatory’s Leonardo Testi says the latest survey allowed scientists to have a ” new and transformational look at the dense interstellar medium of our own galaxy, the Milky Way.”
“The new release of the full survey opens up the possibility to mine this marvelous dataset for new discoveries, Testi said in a statement.
- Who Will Be TIME's Person of the Year 2023?
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time