APOD

[abq_farside]

<p>During the Uplink days, I used to post what I thought was some nice <font color="#333399"><font color="#333399"><strong>APOD</strong></font> </font>pics in Free Space on occasion.&nbsp; I saw this one today and thought I would share it.</p><p align="center"><strong>2008 April 16</strong> <br /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/0/2/009c742d-6c5c-4a1b-82d3-e6742dc9072b.Medium.jpg" alt="" /></p><strong>A Protected Night Sky Over Flagstaff </strong><br /><strong>Credit and Copyright: </strong>Dan & Cindy Duriscoe, FDSC, Lowell Obs., USNO <p><strong>Explanation: </strong>This sky is protected. Yesterday marked the 50 year anniversary of the first lighting ordinance ever enacted, which restricted searchlight advertisements from sweeping the night skies above Flagstaff, Arizona, USA. Flagstaff now enjoys the status of being the first International Dark Sky City, and maintains a lighting code that limits lights from polluting this majestic nighttime view. The current dark skies over Flagstaff not only enable local astronomers to decode the universe but allow local sky enthusiasts to see and enjoy a tapestry contemplated previously by every human generation. The above image, pointing just east of north, was taken two weeks ago at 3 am from Fort Valley, only 10 kilometers from central Flagstaff. Visible in the above spectacular panorama are the San Francisco Peaks caped by a lenticular cloud. Far in the distance, the plane of the Milky Way Galaxy arcs diagonally from the lower left to the upper right, highlighted by the constellations of Cassiopeia, Cepheus, and Cygnus. On the far right, the North America Nebula is visible just under the very bright star Deneb. </p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em><font size="1" color="#000080">Don't let who you are keep you from becoming who you want to be!</font></em></p> </div>

 

[Boris_Badenov]

<p>You beat me to it buddy. One of the ladies from the Senior Center sends me the APOD every day, & I just got this one. </p><p>While Flagstaff isn't really that close (140 miles) we do share the same great night sky. This is without question one magnificent photo.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#993300"><span class="body"><font size="2" color="#3366ff"><div align="center">. </div><div align="center">Never roll in the mud with a pig. You'll both get dirty & the pig likes it.</div></font></span></font> </div>

 

[abq_farside]

APOD is 15 Years Old Today

Besure to click on the image to bring up the higher resolution.