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A Zodiacal Skyscape
Image Credit & Copyright: Jack Fusco

Explanation: Venus and Jupiter are this month's two brightest planets. Shortly after sunset on February 20, they dominate the sky above the western horizon and this snowy landscape. In clear and transparent skies over Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania, USA, they are also seen immersed in Zodiacal light. The extended, diffuse, triangular glow is sunlight scattered by dust along the plane of the ecliptic. Brighter near the horizon, the Zodiacal glow angles upward, first to Venus and then to Jupiter hugging the ecliptic as they orbit the Sun. Fading even further, the glow stretches toward the lovely Pleides star cluster near the top of the frame. Following their appearance in this Zodiacal skyscape, the coming days will see Venus and Jupiter sharing the early evening sky with a young crescent Moon. The two bright planets are even headed for a close pairing or conjunction, separated by about 3 degrees on March 13.

Highlights of this day in history: The American flag is raised on Iwo Jima during World War II; Start of the Persian Gulf War's ground offensive; Dolly the cloned sheep; Comedian Stan Laurel dies; Carlos Santana wins big at the Grammys.

[Also, they may not be very clean.]

MUNICH, GERMANY: The herd of elephants say goodbye to Lola the dead elephant calf at Hellabrunn Zoo on January 21, 2012 in Munich, Germany. A baby elephant who tragically died at a German zoo is brought back before her herd so they can say goodbye. Lola, a three month old elephant, died on 21st January 2012, during a CT scan ahead of an operation to fix a serious heart defect. Lola's body was brought back to the herd at Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich, on Saturday afternoon, so that her mother, Panang (22), could say her goodbyes to her in peace. Afterwards the herd gently nuzzled the lifeless body with their trunks and took their leave of her.