Milky Way and Zodiacal Light over Australian Pinnacles

What strange world is this? E a r t h . In the foreground of the featured image are the Pinnacles , unusual rock spires in Nambung National Park in Western Australia . Made of ancient sea shells ( limestone ), how these human-sized picturesque spires formed remains a topic of research . The panorama was taken last month. A ray of zodiacal light , sunlight reflected by dust grains orbiting between the planets in the Solar System , rises from the horizon near the image center. Arching across the top is the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy . The planets Jupiter and Saturn , as well as several famous stars are also visible in the background night sky. Free Download: The 2018 APOD Calendar