{
  "id": 5803121,
  "title": "Milky Way arm photographed from the heart of Abu Dhabi",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/milky-way-arm-photographed-from-the-heart-of-abu-dhabi",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-05T16:34:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/milky-way-arm-photographed-from-the-heart-of-abu-dhabi-1.500664411"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a remarkable feat, astronomers have captured a photograph of part of the Milky Way from within the heart of Abu Dhabi. Utilizing advanced infrared imaging and digital processing techniques, the International Astronomical Center (IAC) managed to reveal dense star fields, even though the city is plagued by light pollution. The image showcases a substantial section of one of the Milky Way's arms, encompassing most of the Scorpius constellation and broad swathes of Sagittarius, all pointing towards the galactic center. Located approximately 26,000 light years away from Earth, this center is shrouded by vast quantities of dust that typically obscure many stars when observed through visible light. However, infrared wavelengths prove more effective at penetrating this dust, illuminating stars and regions that are normally concealed in standard visible-light images. The team employed a highly sensitive monochrome astronomical camera paired with an infrared filter to counteract the city's light interference while preserving the light from countless stars, thereby amplifying the level of detail. The photograph was assembled from 180 individual frames, each lasting 10 seconds, culminating in a total exposure time of 30 minutes. These frames were later digitally combined and stacked. A wide-field lens with an equivalent focal length of 19mm enabled the camera to capture a broad swathe of sky, also incorporating several Abu Dhabi landmarks, including the iconic Mohammed bin Rashid Tower. While the experiment demonstrates the capability of modern digital imaging, high-efficiency sensors, and image stacking to reveal astronomical details within urban environments, the center emphasizes that city skies cannot replace the clarity offered by dark astronomical sites, where artificial light interference is absent.",
  "summary": "Abu Dhabi: Astronomers have photographed part of the Milky Way from the heart of Abu Dhabi, using infrared imaging and digital processing to reveal dense star fields despite the city’s light pollution. The International Astronomical Center (IAC) said the image captured a broad section of one of the Milky Way’s arms, including most of the constellation Scorpius and large parts of Sagittarius, in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "‘My heart is Emirati’: Why Abu Dhabi feels like home for this Egyptian expat",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/my-heart-is-emirati-why-abu-dhabi-feels-like-home-for-this-egyptian",
        "published": "2026-09-05T07:50:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}