Star Bathing

This Image of the Week enjoys an unusual juxtaposition — solar panels bathing in light, but not light from our Sun. Instead, these solar panels are illuminated by the light of a night sky. Dark skies make this location ideal for Gemini South, which makes up one half of the international Gemini Observatory, a Program of NSF NOIRLab. Gemini South is located on Cerro Pachón, Chile, which has exceptionally clear skies, making it a perfect spot for astronomical observation by night, and for solar panels to collect sunlight effectively during the day.