Hephaestus and Aphrodite
May 30, 2017
Photographer: Dario Giannobile
Summary Author: Dario Giannobile
The photo above showing Mount Etna at left center was captured while flying from Catania (Sicily) to Rome on February 20, 2017. It's seen here aside a mid-level cloud deck just as morning was breaking. Etna, at 10,922 ft (3,329 m) is the highest volcano in Europe and one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
The reddish strip at top is the Belt of Venus (Aphrodite). It results when sunlight, reddened by the increased path length of the low Sun, is scattered off the setting Earth's shadow -- the dark band below the Belt of Venus (just above Etna on the photo). According to Greek mythology, Hephaestus was the artisan and the smith of gods. Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, was his wife. They're featured together in this composition. The ancient Greeks and Sicilians believed that Hephaestus had both his abode and his forge under the Etna volcano and that the eruptions were the proof of his mighty work.
Photo Details: Camera Maker: Apple; Camera Model: iPhone 5s; Lens: iPhone 5s back camera 4.15mm f/2.2; Focal Length: 4.15mm (35mm equivalent: 29mm); Aperture: ƒ/2.2; Exposure Time: 0.020 s (1/50); ISO equiv: 50; Software: Adobe Photoshop CC 2015.5 (Windows).