First, here is the image and link to its source**:
First thing to note is that images like this showing a curved milky way are composites of a panoramic series of photos which are stitched together then distorted to produce a level horizon and curved sky, hence the arched milky way and curved track of meteors, both of which in reality are straight of course.
The description of the image states inter alia that it was captured in Slovenia and during the perseid shower, so in early August, in summer time in the Northern Hemisphere. The blurb also implies that it was taken after sunset rather than before dawn.
These are my thoughts looking at the image:
1. The panorama shows close to a 360º view.
2. The left of the arch of the milky way is roughly east while the RHS is west.
3. Due east is a bit left of the LHS of the arch, due west a bit to the right of the RHS and North is in the centre of the arch.
4. The perseids appear to originate in the constellation Perseus, which is slightly north. So the point from which the metor tracks appear to be emerging must be perseus which would show the location of the Perseus arm.
5. As it is Summer then Sagittarius would show the approximate centre of the Galaxy, but where exactly in the imae is that? Would it be around 2 o'clock on the arch where the starlight is brightest?
6. I'm guessing that the bright parts of the horizon are the recently set sun.
So how far off am I with the above, and what other interesting observations can be made? e.g. is the redness around 11-12 o'clock in the arch genuine star/dust colouring of is it an atmospheric effect?
GS
P.S. (**)The Mt Taranaki photo is superb, isn't it?
