[NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day] Summer Sky over Astronomy Town

Description:

As summer fades and autumn arrives, we recall the beauty of the summer starry sky over Astronomy Town.

This serene image captures the late summer sky above the gently rolling green hills of Earth. The photograph was taken in the remote village of Saadat Shahr in the Fars province of southern Iran. The villagers are renowned for their love of stargazing, earning the village the nickname “Astronomy Town.” Coincidentally, in this image of the sky over Astronomy Town, the most beautiful region of the Milky Way is located approximately in the center of the frame. The three brightest stars in the image form the Summer Triangle—Deneb in Cygnus at the top, Altair in Aquila on the left, and Vega in Lyra on the right. The foreground features a landscape illuminated by the lights of Astronomy Town, including a wild pistachio tree, which is common in this region. Moving the mouse over the image [in the original source] would reveal another version labeled with stars and constellations.

Translation from: http://www.skylook.org/apod/astropix.html

NASA Website:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap090912.html