The large bright section of the
Milky Way in the center of this picture is known as the Scutum Star Cloud because it is found in the small constellation Scutum,
the shield. It is one of the brightest
sections of the Milky Way, and it is easy to see with the naked eye on a clear
summer night from a dark location. The small, very bright patch to the left of center is Messier 11, the Wild Duck Cluster. The two images following this one are
other views of the summer Milky Way, all taken with the same equipment on a
clear July night from the shore of Lake Champlain in St. Albans Bay, Vermont.