Earth observations of city lights in the Alps taken during STS-97

STS097-355-011 (30 Nov. -11 Dec. 2000) --- This vertical scene showing Torino and Milano, Italy, at night, was photographed with a 35mm camera by one of the STS-97 crew members aboard the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Endeavour. The night lights of Torino and Milano (two larger illuminated areas) are visible in the view, which covers the western end of the Po River Valley. Torino is the bright spot slightly left of center and Milano is the larger bright spot towards the bottom center of the image. The deeply eroded flanks of the snow-covered Alps Mountains (serrated-looking, light-colored terrain top half of the image) is visible north of the two large cities. Several mountain passes that connect the Po River Valley with France and Switzerland can be identified by the string of lights in the narrow, linear valleys. A translucent-looking cloud (bottom center) somewhat obscures the nighttime landscape south of Torino and Milano. The northwest coast of Italy, including the Italian city of Genova, can be identified in the lower left corner of the image. This photography was taken by astronauts using high speed film and long exposure on a night with a full moon illuminating the surface of the Earth.