                        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 September 15

                    Venus, Moon, and the Smoking Mountain
            Image Credit & Copyright: Luis Miguel Meade Rodríguez

   Explanation: Venus has returned as a brilliant morning star. From a
   window seat on a flight to Mexico City, the bright celestial beacon was
   captured just before sunrise in this astronomical snapshot, taken on
   September 12. Venus, at the upper right, shared the early predawn skies
   with an old crescent Moon. Seen from this stratospheric perspective,
   both mountain peaks and clouds appear in silhouette along a glowing
   eastern horizon. The dramatic, long, low cloud bank was created by
   venting from planet Earth's active volcano Popocatépetl.

                      Tomorrow's picture: Fire over Ice
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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