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Astronomy Picture of the Day
NASA ^ | 6/25/10 | Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)

Posted on 06/25/2010 5:53:26 AM PDT by sig226


The Starry Night of Alamut
Image Credit & Copyright:
Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)

Explanation: A meteor's streak and the arc of the Milky Way hang over the imposing mountain fortress of Alamut in this starry scene. Found in the central Alborz Mountains of Iran, Alamut Castle was built into the rock in the 9th century. The name means Eagle's Nest. Home of the legendary Assassins featured in the adventure movie Prince of Persia, Alamut was also historically a center for libraries and education. For a time, it was the residence of important 13th century Persian scholar and astronomer Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. To identify the stars in a night sky Tusi certainly pondered, just slide your cursor over the image. Highlights include bright white stars Deneb (in Cygnus), Vega, and Altair, nebulae near the Galactic Center, and the dark obscuring dust clouds of the Milky Way also known as the Great Rift. Lights at the lower right are from small villages and the capital Tehran, over 100 kilometers away to the southwest.


TOPICS: Astronomy Picture of the Day
KEYWORDS: apod; whereeaglesdare

1 posted on 06/25/2010 5:53:29 AM PDT by sig226
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To: null and void; fnord; Number57; KevinDavis; rdb3; MNJohnnie; RightWhale; proudofthesouth; ...

2 posted on 06/25/2010 5:56:16 AM PDT by sig226 (Mourn this day, the death of a great republic. March 21, 2010)
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To: sig226

newrings_cassini.jpg


3 posted on 06/25/2010 6:01:30 AM PDT by barbarianbabs (Liberty 5-3000)
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To: sig226

Awesome shot. Thanks for posting....bump.


4 posted on 06/25/2010 6:06:20 AM PDT by RightOnline
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To: sig226

The great spinal column.


5 posted on 06/25/2010 6:28:31 AM PDT by TheOldLady
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To: sig226

Beautiful


6 posted on 06/25/2010 6:36:10 AM PDT by ILS21R (A 200 year supply of oil... in Alaska....right now)
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To: sig226

Beautiful! Thanks Sig!


7 posted on 06/25/2010 6:53:35 AM PDT by left that other site (Your Mi'KMaq Paddy Whacky Bass Playing Biker Buddy)
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To: sig226

Alamut. Closed by new management [Hulegu Quan] circa 1257. Prior tenants exterminated.


8 posted on 06/25/2010 7:02:27 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: sig226

Very cool!


9 posted on 06/25/2010 7:28:06 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: sig226

Lovely pic ... even caught a stray meteor in the shot.

(No matter how hard I look, I can never seem to see those names there ;)


10 posted on 06/25/2010 7:51:06 AM PDT by mikrofon (Astro BUMP)
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To: sig226

One of the better APOD threads!!!

Thanks!


11 posted on 06/25/2010 8:35:47 AM PDT by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
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