
December 25, 2012
Yosemite Winter Night

December 25, 2012
Yosemite Winter Night
A little universe, just for you
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APOD published December 25, 2012. Credit: Wally Pacholka. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
In this evocative night skyscape a starry band of the Milky Way climbs over Yosemite Valley, Sierra Nevada Range, planet Earth. Jupiter is the brightest celestial beacon on the wintry scene, though. Standing nearly opposite the Sun in the constellation Taurus, the wandering planet joins yellowish Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster. Below, Orion always comes up sideways over a fence of mountains. And from there the twin stars of Gemini rise just across the Milky Way. As this peaceful winter night began, they followed Auriga the charioteer, its alpha star Capella near the top of the frame.
Image credit: Wally Pacholka