MILKY WAY
According to legend the seventh Princess of Heaven fell in love with a poor herdsman.
She stole away to marry him and lived happily for a time as a weaver.
When her mother sent soldiers to fetch her daughter home they were forced to retreat before the herdsman''s strength.
Seeing her daughter''s husband in swift pursuit, The princess'' mother dropped a silver pin, creating a silver stream to separate the lovers forever.
The young princess'' love finally moved her father to allow her an annual reunion with her husband.
On the appointed day, the princess would cross the silver stream with an escort of black birds.
If it should rain on that night, it is said to be the princess'' tears.
The Milky Way is the silver stream, which can be seen on the lunar calendar''s seventh day of the seventh month with young lovers, the Vega and Altair stars, on either side.
Date & Time: Aug 2 2003, 22:47 JST(+0900), 19min. Exp.
Optical: SMC TAKUMAR f=55mm F3.5, Aperture: F4.0
Auto-guided with Kenko SKYMEMO Equatorial
Camera: PENTAX 67
Film: Ektachrome E100S (+2EV pushed)
Location: Koumi town, Nagano pref.
This panorama shows you the Milky Way crossing Great Triangle in summer, formed by three bright stars of Deneb in Cygnus, Vega in Lyra, and Altair in Aquila.
The Milky Way looks like divided in two branches at Cygnus, and flowing down toward southern lower skies.