May 3, 2008
The universe is under no obligation to make sense to us, and yet here you are — a collection of atoms that somehow learned to think, to...
Alborz Mountain Milky Way
Birthday · May 3, 2008
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APOD published May 3, 2008. Credit: Babak Tafreshi. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Snow-capped stratovolcano Mt. Damavand climbs to 5,670 meters (18,598 feet) near the left edge in this panoramic view of the world at night. In the sky to the left of Damavand's peak are the stars of the Big Dipper in Ursa Major. Pan to the right and your gaze will sweep across the arch of our Milky Way Galaxy above the Alborz Mountain Range bordering the Caspian Sea. Near the center of the panorama, recorded in the predawn hours of April 4th, bright stars Deneb and Altair lie close to the curve of the Milky Way, above the glow of the Haraz valley. Farther right, brilliant Jupiter dominates the sky near the stars, nebulae, and dark dust clouds toward the bulging galactic center. Finally, the horizon glow at the right edge, below bright yellowish giant star Antares, is from the city of Damavand, named for the legendary mountain peak.
Image credit: Babak Tafreshi