Like most OS X updates before it, with Mountain Lion comes a new default wallpaper. Like Lion, Mountain Lion’s wallpaper keeps with the galaxy theme, but we think this one’s far more beautiful, with a softer blue tone that is quite calming and peaceful to look at. Anyone know which galaxy this is?
Here’s a link to the high-resolution, 3200×2000 pixel wallpaper. You can download the Mountain Lion High-Res Galaxy Default Wallpaper (2.3MB) here.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
51 responses to “Why Wait? Download OS X Mountain Lion’s New Hi-Res Default Wallpaper Here”
I’ll be taking that, thank you very much!
have been searching the web for this for the last 20 minutes!
Thanks! Downloaded and set.
Looks like a rather airbrushed image of Andromeda.
I think it is M81 aka Andromeda again. But from a different angle than in Lion.
@google-b8ccb5758f020ba0c96767e377e9d7ac:disqus , yeah. That’s Andromeda galaxy.
do you guys feel cool that you know what galaxy that is?
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what is the High resolution pictures size ?
At first i thought Sombrero galaxy, but i suppose it’s Andromeda, isn’t it?
Yes, we do.
M31 is known as Andromeda Galaxy. M81 is also a galaxy but does not look like this mountain-lion-adaption of a galaxy. Furthermore, a picture of M31 would also show M32 and M110. And now think, how you would take a picture of a galaxy from “a different angle”?
You would photoshop it.. http://www.cultofmac.com/10859… .. just like Lion’s Andromeda.
The new galaxy is NGC 3190, with a little enhancement and addition of foreground stars. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
Drive to the other side of it. Duh. Ha ha. I asked myself the same question when I read that other person’s comment.
Thanks! xD
Awesome… thanks. Any other new wallpapers???
Please return your GeekCard on the way out. It has just been revoked and rendered void.
Oops I meant M31…
(shame on me)
Yes, you are so very correct. Mea maxima culpa.
I mixed up the numbers. Shame on me. May I keep my GeekCard. Pretty please?
different angle : it’s obviously a CGI pic. Not a Hubble telescope image.
When you are taking pictures of objects that are that far away, you can’t just simply get a new angle. I have no clue what galaxy this is but I doubt it is Andromeda again.
but its only low resolution, what about 1024
This is the spiral galaxy NGC 3190 found in Leo. Here is a(n almost identical) picture from NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
Try clicking on the link below the image.
It’s not M31/Andromeda and it’s not CGI. The galaxy is NGC 3190: see
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
http://server3.wikisky.org/sta…
Yes, you can. The magic sauce is called CGI.
thx. the only one offering this chance.
Anyone with the original picture?
It’s beautiful!
This is the galaxy NGC 3190 in Leo. Linked is an almost identical image from the Hubble Space Telescope. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
It’s a photograph of Steve’s new playground…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N…
Well, are you sure about Andromeda? This could be Black Eye http://www.google.cz/search?cl… ..
Is this massive resolution an indicator of retina display Macs in the pipeline?
“
When you are taking pictures of objects that are that far away, you can’t just simply get a new angle.”
Unless you tilt the camera…
the waiter snipped it in half as soon as those words were typed.
the only way to keep that card is by a providing shining example of geekitude and by publicly explaining your true geek-cred bona fides. You also have to know how to pronounce bona fides without help. :)
only until the iphone 6 when they put the new 4K Retina displays in the phones at 3.5 inches. :)
it looks like NGC 3190 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N…
The galaxy is NGC 3190. It looks like it’s photoshopped from this –
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
The picture is a “composite” image of NGC-3190:
http://www.robgendlerastropics…
30 comments and no clues….
This wallpaper was the Astronomy Picture of the Day for 3 May 2010.The APOD caption is: Spiral Galaxy NGC 3190 Almost Sideways.Oh, and you will never guess what constellation this galaxy is located in: Leo!See apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100503.ht… for the full description.
This is a mosaic image of NGC-3190 using Hubble pictures. It has probably been “enhanced” by Apple to give it the blue glow. Also, the star field around the galaxy looks like it has been manipulated as well. Here is the site which has the mosaic upon which the desktop picture is based:
http://www.robgendlerastropics…
The comment re ‘Andromeda, but from a different angle’ is funny! As if we had any way to view a galaxy millions of light years away from a different perspective.
(though I grant computer modeling may simulate such…)
Anyway,
The new Snow, I mean Mountain Lion wallpaper is very good, and seems to be NGC 3190, the largest member of the Hickson 44 Group, located near the constellation Leo (Lion).
Ref: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
It’s not the Andromeda galaxy. It’s Spiral Galaxy NGC 3190. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
The galaxy is called NGC-3190 and the picture is a mosaic of Hubble images assembled and processed by Robert Gendler. Additionally, the wallpaper version looks like it has been composited over a different star field background.
I think i see Naboo
This is not even a picture but an artist’s drawing.
No satellites are this far away from earth to get a picture like that.
nope. it’s NGC 3190 from APOD: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap10…
awesome wallpaper
Thanks! i like this one.
You can find beautiful high resolution wallpapers here – pc background wallpaper.