“Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is considered one of the most extreme and remarkable vistas in all of South America, if not Earth,” National Geographic explains of the ‘world’s largest mirror.’ “Stretching more than 4,050 square miles of the Altiplano, it is the world’s largest salt flat, left behind by prehistoric lakes evaporated long ago […] At certain times of the year, nearby lakes overflow and a thin layer of water transforms the flats into a stunning reflection of the sky.”
(NASA: ‘We are returning to the Moon – to stay – and this is how we are going!’)
This incredible plain is where photographer Jheison Huerta was able to capture such a spectacular photo of the milky way. Featured as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, Huerta’s snap has luckily spread throughout the internet for us all to marvel at its beauty.
“What’s being reflected in the world’s largest mirror? Stars, galaxies, and a planet,” NASA writes of the photo. “Many of these stars are confined to the grand arch that runs across the image, an arch that is the central plane of our home Milky Way Galaxy.”
“Inside the arch is another galaxy – the neighboring Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). Stars that are individually visible include Antares on the far left and Sirius on the far right. The planet Jupiter shines brightly just below Antares.”
The photo was taken in April and is composed of 15 vertical frames taken consecutively over 10 minutes.
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