APOD: Yuri's Planet (2012 Apr 12)

[APOD Robot]

Yuri's Planet

Explanation: On another April 12th, in 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Alexseyevich Gagarin became the first human to see planet Earth from space. Commenting on his view from orbit he reported, "The sky is very dark; the Earth is bluish. Everything is seen very clearly". To celebrate, consider this recent image from the orbiting International Space Station. A stunning view of the planet at night from an altitude of 240 miles, it was recorded on March 28. The lights of Moscow, Russia are near picture center and one of the station's solar panel arrays is on the left. Aurora and the glare of sunlight lie along the planet's gently curving horizon. Stars above the horizon include the compact Pleiades star cluster, immersed in the auroral glow.

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[agulesin]

Broken link:

"The requested URL /apod/ap0910114.html was not found on this server." (the horizon include the compact Pleiades star cluster)

Thanks guys!

[bystander]

Broken link:

"The requested URL /apod/ap0910114.html was not found on this server." (the horizon include the compact Pleiades star cluster)

Thanks guys!

Try http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091014.html

[owlice]

Email has been sent to editor about link; thanks.

[orin stepanek]

It took a bit of searching but I was able to spot the Pleiades in the Aurora!

[Uwe]

Is this Venus I can spot right at the horizon above Moscow?

[Lordcat Darkstar]

Looking at this picture I imagine a young child in moscow looking up at the night sky. He would be wondering if there is life out there in the cosmos, and wondering what they are thinking.... Turns out that there was and it was thinking: oh!! That would make a pretty picture!

[BMAONE23]

Curious,
Does anyone know why the Solar Panel's super structure and the backside of the panels appear to be glowing Blue. Could it be something like St Elmo's Fire caused by Solar CME activity? Or is it simply a trick of light

[Spasiba]

Москва, как блестит роса покрыта паутиной в солнечном свете

Google translation: Moscow, like the dew covered spider web glistens in the sunlight

[FloridaMike]

Curious,
Does anyone know why the Solar Panel's super structure and the backside of the panels appear to be glowing Blue. Could it be something like St Elmo's Fire caused by Solar CME activity? Or is it simply a trick of light

Space faeries

[emc]

Москва, как блестит роса покрыта паутиной в солнечном свете

Google translation: Moscow, like the dew covered spider web glistens in the sunlight

Thanks for the translation Ms. Owlice

Welcome to SA* Spasiba! Nice words
Добро пожаловать к SA* SPasiba! Славные слова

[saturn2]

This is a interesting image.

[Beyond]

Welcome to SA* Spasiba! Nice words
Добро пожаловать к SA* SPasiba! Славные слова

Hey Ed, where'd you get a russian keyboard?

[emc]

Welcome to SA* Spasiba! Nice words
Добро пожаловать к SA* SPasiba! Славные слова

Hey Ed, where'd you get a russian keyboard?

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

[antn_e]

Is this Venus I can spot right at the horizon above Moscow?

I thought that, but using SkyMap looks like it must actually be the Moon. Venus is just lost in the dawn brightness (near zeta Ari). Perhaps reference can be added about the Moon in the text?