Explanation:
Welcome to
The World At Night.
Sharing the night sky seen around the world, this view from
Monument Valley,
USA includes a picturesque foreground of famous buttes.
Buttes
are composed of hard volcanic rock left behind after
water eroded away the surrounding soft rock.
The two buttes on the image left are known as the
Mittens,
while Merrick Butte is on the right.
Recorded just last week,
planet Mars is at the left of the skyscape,
a glowing beacon of orange that is the brightest object in the frame.
To the right of Mars lies the
constellation of Orion.
Betelgeuse is the reddish star near
the center and the Belt of Orion
and the Orion Nebula
are farther right.
Finally, the bright blue star
Rigel
appears above Merrick Butte in this stunning view of
The World At Night.
APOD presents: Astronomy Pictures of the Year for 2007
