The Milky Way Near the Northern Cross . ... Credit Copyright: Andy Steere Explanation: This beautiful image of the sky near the bright star Deneb (just above center) reveals the stars, nebulae, and dark clouds along the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy as seen from the northern hemisphere (near Columbia Missouri, USA). ... Deneb is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus , located in the tail of this celestial swan . ... NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers . ...