PIX4657160: Paranal Observatory - Chile - Paranal Observatory - Chile - The lactee road above the Paranal Observatory in Chile. The road leading to the observatory is equipped with solar energy lighting that preserves the night sky from light pollution. 1 September 2008. Milky way above Paranal observatory, Chile. Sep 1st 2008. The road to the observatory is lightened by solar powered leds to avoid light pollution / Bridgeman Images

FLO4657214: Michelle de Vitry, widow of Jean Jouvenel des Ursins, 1827 (engraving), Gatine, Georges Jacques (1773-1831) / Bridgeman Images

PIX4657215: Star sky on the Paranal observatory - Starry Sky above Paranal observatory - Spherical panorama of the star sky above the Paranal observatory in Chile. The lactee route crosses the sky accompanied by zodiacal light. May 2009. Milky Way is crossing Paranal sky and meeting with Zodiacal light to the West behind Paranal Observatory. Three of the most emblematic constellations are visible on the horizon: Orion, Big deeper and Scorpius. The Large and Small magellanic clouds are visible to the South together with Southern Cross, Eta Carina nebula and Coal sack. May 2009 / Bridgeman Images

FLO4657289: La Belle Feronniere, mistress of King Francis I of France, 1827 (engraving), Gatine, Georges Jacques (1773-1831) / Bridgeman Images

FLO4657490: Ninon de l'Enclos, English author, courtesan and salon hostess, 1827 (engraving), Gatine, Georges Jacques (1773-1831) / Bridgeman Images

PIX4657502: Paranal Observatory - Chile - Aerienne view of the VLT, Very Large Telescope, consists of 4 main telescopes measuring 8.2m in diameter. This photo obtained in November 1999 also shows the foundations of future 1.8m auxilliary telescopes / Bridgeman Images

PIX4657539: European 8.2 m telescope (VLT) - Paranal observatory. Very Large Telescope (VLT). - The Cerro Paranal Observatory in Chile has been hosting the European VLT (Very Large Telescope) network since 1998. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) here uses four telescopes measuring 8.2 m in diameter, as well as telescopes measuring 1.8 m to 4 m in diameter: it is the largest observatory in the world. Cerro Paranal is located at 2500 m above sea level, in the Atacama.View of one of the 4 8.2m telescopes of the VLT, Very Large Telescope. The european southern observatory accomodates the Very Large Telescope (VLT) since 1998. Four 8.2m telescopes are used besides several other telescopes from 1.8m to 4m. Cerro Paranal is 2500 meters in altitude in Atacama desert. Wide - angle view of the structure of one of the 8.2 - m VLT Unit Telescope / Bridgeman Images

FLO4657540: Madame de Montespan, mistress to King Louis XIV of France, 1827 (engraving), Gatine, Georges Jacques (1773-1831) / Bridgeman Images

PIX4657555: Very Large Telescope (VLT) from ESO - Paranal observatory. Very Large Telescope (VLT). - The Cerro Paranal Observatory in Chile has been hosting the European VLT (Very Large Telescope) network since 1998. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) here uses four telescopes measuring 8.2 m in diameter, as well as telescopes measuring 1.8 m to 4 m in diameter: it is the largest observatory in the world. Cerro Paranal is located at 2500 m above sea level, in the Atacama.View of one of the 4 8.2m telescopes of the VLT, Very Large Telescope. The european southern observatory accomodates the Very Large Telescope (VLT) since 1998. Four 8.2m telescopes are used besides several other telescopes from 1.8m to 4m. Cerro Paranal is 2500 meters in altitude in Atacama desert. Wide - angle view of the structure of one of the 8.2 - m VLT Unit Telescope / Bridgeman Images

FLO4657558: Francoise d'Aubigne, Madame Scarron, Marquise de Maintenon, 1827 (engraving), Gatine, Georges Jacques (1773-1831) / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653200: Gashousou or soft windflower, Anemone flaccida. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653267: Daikon or white radish leaves and root (horseradish), Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653306: Giboushi or plantain lily leaf, Hosta montana. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4653309: Gamma ray telescope HESS - Gamma rays telescope HESS - High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) telescope located in Namibia near Gamsberg. This network of telescopes is dedicated to the study of high energy gamma rays. High Energy Stereoscopic System or HESS is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACT) for the investigation of cosmic gamma rays. It is located in Namibia, near Gamsberg / Bridgeman Images

PIX4653323: Mirrors of one of the gamma ray telescopes HESS - Mirror of Gamma rays telescope HESS - Telescope of the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) network located in Namibia near Gamsberg. This network of telescopes is dedicated to the study of high energy gamma rays. High Energy Stereoscopic System or HESS is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACT) for the investigation of cosmic gamma rays. It is located in Namibia, near Gamsberg / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653327: Sawakigyou, Lobelia sessilifolia, native to Japan (Japanese lobelia). Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4653354: Telescope AEOS - Haleakala Observatory - Hawaii - AEOS telescope - Haleakala observatory - Hawaii - View of the dome housing the 3.67 m AEOS telescope dedicated to monitoring satellites and missiles. Haleakala Observatory, Maui, Hawaii, USA. The 3.67 - meter telescope dome, known as the Advanced Electro - Optical System (AEOS), owned by the US Department of Defense. It is the United States' largest optical telescope designed for tracking satellites. Mt. Haleakala Observatory located on Maui island, Hawaii / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653396: Himeyuri or morning star lily, Lilium concolor. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4653425: Observatory of Juvisy sur Orge - France - Observatory of Juvisy sur Orge - The Observatory of Juvisy sur Orge was founded by astronomer Camille Flammarion in 1883; it remained a major place for scientific research until the Second World War / Bridgeman Images

PIX4653441: Observatory of Juvisy sur Orge - France - Observatory of Juvisy sur Orge - The Observatory of Juvisy sur Orge was founded by astronomer Camille Flammarion in 1883; it remained a major place for scientific research until the Second World War / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653471: Keshi or opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, and azumagiku or Thunberg's fleabane, Erigeron thunbergii (poppy poppy). Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

PIX4653489: Kitt Peak Observatory - Arizona - dome of the Mayall telescope (4m / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653501: Byouyanagi or Chinese St. John's wort, Hypericum monogynum (St. John's wort, devil's hunter, fee grass, herb with a thousand virtues, St. Eloi's grass, St. John's grass) Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653507: Juyaku or dokudami, lizard tail plant, Houttuynia cordata Thunb (saurure ou queue de lezard) Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653563: Futarishizuka or serrate-leaf chloranthus, Chloranthus serratus. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653565: Umebachisou or marsh grass-of-parnassus, Parnassia palustris (Marsh Parnassie) Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653597: Kakinohana or Japanese persimmon flower, Diospyros kaki. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653643: Kokuchinashi or dwarf gardenia, Gardenia augusta Radicans. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653678: Shaga, fringed or crested iris, Iris japonica. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653685: Karamatsusou or greater meadow-rue species, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium L. var. intermedium Nakai. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653703: Kumagaisou or Japanese lady's slipper orchid, Cypripedium japonicum. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653704: Kuroyuri or chocolate fritillary, Fritillaria camschatcensis. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653754: Hebiichigo or mock strawberry, Potentilla hebiichigo. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1889. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653792: Kinmokusai or sweet osmanthus, Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653850: Tororo or aibika leaves, Abelmoschus manihot (Aibika) Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images

FLO4653854: Kashiwabahaguma, Pertya robusta, a native of Japan. Handcoloured woodblock print by Kono Bairei from Senshu no Hana (One Thousand Varieties of Flowers), Bunkyudo, Kyoto, 1900. / Bridgeman Images