Summer Star Pary in Greece

From the photographer: “4th National Annual Star Party of Greek Amateur Astronomers – Mt. Parnon, Greece – July 9th-11th 2010.

What happens when 415 astronomy lovers from all over Greece go to Mt. Parnon? You’ve got a great astro-party under the Spartan dark sky with more than 250 telescopes and lots of fun. Watching the magnificence of our galaxy was the most beautiful thing at the party. From the constellations of Sagittarius to Perseus, you just kept watching the spiral arms of our Milky Way.

Mountain Parnon (Greek: Πάρνωνας) is a mountain ridge on the east of the Laconian plain and the Evrotas valley. Its height is 1.940 m. It is visible from Athens above the top of the Argive mountains. The western part is in the Laconia prefecture and the eastern part is in the Arcadia prefecture. Its length is approximately 50 km from north to south and from 15 to 25 km wide from east to west. The highest mountain is Megali Tourla (1940 m).” – © Bill Metallinos