The night is well advanced at the Refuge des Cosmiques in the Mont-Blanc massif. To the West, the lights of the valleys illuminate the glaciers and the constellation of Orion readies itself to disappear over the horizon. On the square image, the nebula of Orion is still quite visible, characterized by its pink color. On the right, the V of the head of the constellation of Taurus shelters the brilliant Aldébaran. Further to the right in the photo, the jewel of the open cluster of the Pleiades is at the limit of the cirrus clouds. In the panoramic image, taken a quarter of an hour later, the nebula is no longer visible, but the three stars of Orion's belt are perfectly identifiable. Sirius, the most brilliant star in the sky, reigns over the Aiguille du Goûter, accompanied higher up by Procyon and the Milky Way. The Mont-Blanc du Tacul (4248m) dominates the ensemble, while 2600m farther down, the lights of the Houches sketch out the valley. In the distance, Megève and Sallanches glimmer in front of the Aravis chain.
But the show is also present on the opposite side, with the planet Jupiter rising majestically above the Dent du Géant, while the valley of Aoste adds its batch of light pollution. An hour later, the giant planet is much higher in the sky. The marvel continues...