Athens at Night

Athens at night. An astronaut on the International Space Station captured this nighttime picture of Athens, Greece’s capital.

The city, situated on the intricate shoreline of the Attica Peninsula in Southern Greece, has its streets glowing like rivers, extending from the urban center to the coast.

You notice abrupt shifts from bright to dark areas, especially where the city meets water or rugged, undeveloped landscapes and mountains. The lights sharply fade at the southern edge of Athens, meeting the Saronic Gulf.

The city’s brightness to the northwest diminishes dramatically near the Párnitha mountains. Similarly, the dark stretch between Athens and the International Airport results from the challenging terrain of the Hymettus mountains, covered with forests hosting archaeological sites and recreational spots.

Astronaut photograph ISS067-E-372936 was acquired on September 17, 2022

source Earthobservatory.Nasa