Milky Way over Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park Sep. 18, 2023

The Milky Way Galaxy has billions of stars; among them, our own Sun finds its place. Its name is derived from the radiant, irregular band of stars and gas clouds known as the Milky Way, which graces Earth"s sky. Methodical observations of the night sky started with early civilizations and astronomy, the oldest natural science that studies celestial objects and their phenomena, is still a modern source of fascination around our own ever-orbiting planet. That love of the night sky is what brings stargazers to Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, a site free from heavy light pollution.

© Daniel Garrido/Getty Images

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