Lines?

• by gdybz

  What could be causing the lines through all the brightest objects? It appears instrumental but I'm not sure.

  Posted December 9, 2015 1:06 AM

• by ElisabethB moderator

  Hi gdybz and welcome to the Zoo

  The lines are diffraction spikes (optical artifact).

  Wiki : Diffraction spikes are lines radiating from bright light sources in reflecting telescope images. They are artifacts caused by light diffracting around the support vanes of the secondary mirror. Refracting telescopes and their photographic images do not have the same problem.

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffraction_spike

  Happy hunting ! 😄

  Posted December 9, 2015 9:03 AM