Alborz Mountain Milky Way
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.