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image credit & copyright: Giorgia Hofer (Cortina Astronomical Association)




what are those bright lights in the sky ahead ?

when hiking a high mountain pass in northern Italy august last year, a conjunction between our Moon and the distant planet Jupiter was visible toward the south just after sunset

the picturesque mountains in the distance are Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks of Lavaredo), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and three of the best known mountain peaks in Italy, the Dolomites, and the entire Alps

in the foreground on the left is Locatelli Hut, a refuge for tired hikers as it is located over an hour from the nearest parking lot

the bright sky object on the upper left is Saturn

the entire scene was captured on a single 8-second exposure
























































in apod.nasa.gov/apod