The Moon and Jupiter over the Alps
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 three weeks ago, 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 nearest parking lot.
The bright sky object on the upper left is
Saturn.
The entire scene was captured on a single 8-second exposure.
Jupiter and
Saturn will remain
prominent in the southwestern sky
after sunset this month, while the Moon,
in its monthly orbit around the Earth, will pass
near Jupiter again in about four days.