                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2023 January 7

                      Space Stations in Low Earth Orbit
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Zarcos Palma

   Explanation: On January 3, two space stations already illuminated by
   sunlight in low Earth orbit crossed this dark predawn sky. Moving west
   to east (left to right) across the composited timelapse image China's
   Tiangong Space Station traced the upper trail captured more than an
   hour before the local sunrise. Seen against a starry background
   Tiangong passes just below the inverted Big Dipper asterism of Ursa
   Major near the peak of its bright arc, and above north pole star
   Polaris. But less than five minutes before, the International Space
   Station had traced its own sunlit streak across the dark sky. Its trail
   begins just above the W-shape outlined by the bright stars of
   Cassiopeia near the northern horizon. The dramatic foreground spans an
   abandoned mine at Achada do Gamo in southeastern Portugal.

                   Tomorrow's picture: where you come from
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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