Stars Above Belem Tower

The iconic landmark of Lisbon, the Belém Tower, at night. I was very lucky on this night as they turned off the floodlights on the tower for a few minutes for technical reasons, otherwise capturing stars above this strongly lit monument is a real challenge! Constellation Taurus with the Pleiades star cluster, and Jupiter (bright point) appear on the left above the 25 de Abril Bridge across the Tagus river. Click on the second photo for a wider angle of the monument on this night.

The Tower is a fortified structure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its significant role in the Portuguese maritime explorations in the 16th century. It was a defense system at the mouth of the Tagus river and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. © Babak Tafreshi