Strange Green Artifact to Right of Galactic Center - Gravitational Lensing?

• by DistantSent

  The bright, green-hued object to the left of center is strange to me because of its brightness. Could this be a gravitational lensing of a background object (possibly a more distant quasar), or a galactic merger, a supernova, or GRB?

  Posted October 2, 2013 5:34 AM

• by JeanTate

  I think it's a foreground star (in our own galaxy). The colors are artifacts; the bigger-than-normal and blobby appearance of the star are also artifacts, due to this being a #poorqualityimage

  Here's a piece of sky nearby, showing somewhat similar strange-looking stars, and a galaxy or two (a DR8 image):

  

  Posted October 2, 2013 5:53 AM

• by DistantSent in response to JeanTate's comment.

  Ahh, many thanks for the clarification! 😃

  Posted October 31, 2013 4:17 AM