Mount Nemrut and Canopus

On this October morning the winter stars are photographed over the ancient statues of Mount Nemrut, a World Heritage site at top of the 2200-meter high mountain in southeastern Turkey, near Adıyaman. In 62 BC, King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built on the mountain top a tomb-sanctuary flanked by huge statues (8-9 meters high) of himself, two lions, two eagles and various Greek, Armenian and Persian gods. From the photographer: “Sirius and constellations Orion and Taurus appear in the image but a surprising capture is Canopus, the second brightest star in the night sky, shining less than a degree over the southern horizon. This was only possible thanks to the high elevation of the site. Normally it should not be visible from a location this far north, 37d 59′ N, which could be the northernmost visibility record for Canopus.”