You haven’t seen the night sky until you’ve seen this 5000 megapixel panorama comprised of 37,449 exposures. To capture this amazing sight, Nick Risinger had to take photographs in the western United States, as well as Africa. In order to get sharp images with long exposures, he apparently used a tripod mount that syncs with the earth’s rotation. You have to see the image full screen to fully appreciate it, so follow the link after the break.

The Photopic Sky Survey is a 5,000 megapixel photograph of the entire night sky stitched together from 37,440 exposures. Large in size and scope, it portrays a world far beyond the one beneath our feet and reveals our familiar Milky Way with unfamiliar clarity. When we look upon this image, we are in fact peering back in time, as much of the light—having traveled such vast distances—predates civilization itself.

Link: Photopic Sky Survey

[via Wired]