Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Paris by Night

NASA ^ | March 31, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Do you recognize the city lights of Paris in this picture? Taken on March 25 from the top of the 210 meter tall Montparnasse skyscraper, many will spot the looming Eiffel Tower, or the large domed structure of Les Invalides (right), or the colorfully lit elevated Metro train line gently curving toward picture center. You can even pick out the Arc de Triomphe close to the horizon on the right. But regardless of your location, the celestial lights near the western horizon should look very familiar. The lovely triple conjuntion of brilliant Venus (top), Jupiter, and a young crescent Moon was visible in evening skies around planet Earth.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Serge Brunier (TWAN)]

[SunkenCiv]

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[Inyo-Mono]

Pretty, but I’m not a big fan of cities. I like the Grand Canyon one better.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2866492/posts

[redhead]

hurry and go to www.bing.com to get a look at the Eiffel Tower in her birthday finery. This image will be gone tonight.

[dr_lew]

Google Earth view with the Tour Montparnasse in the foreground. The bright blue light from the ground on the left in the APOD has to be the Stade Parc Des Princes, out of the Google Earth view.

[Ciexyz]

The Venus and Jupiter conjunction has been providing quite a show for weeks now all over the world.

[dr_lew]

Looking it up, I see Venus is still getting brighter, reaching maximum "brilliancy" later in April. It won't get much brighter, but it has seemed very bright to me. The ecliptic is nearly perpendicular to the western horizon around sunset at the vernal equinox, so when Venus is near maximum eastern elongation at this time of year it is very high in the sky, and I think that adds to the spectacle. Jupiter seems to be just about out of the picture at this date.

Cf. Wikipedia, Aspects of Venus

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks redhead.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Eiffel+Tower%2c+Paris&FORM=BIFD