APOD: 2024 April 18 - Facing NGC 1232 Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 18 Facing NGC 1232 Image Credit &Copyright:Neil Corke Explanation: From our vantage point in theMilky Way Galaxy,we see NGC 1232 face-on.Nearly 200,000 light-years across, the big, beautifulspiral galaxyis located some 47 million light-years away in the flowing southernconstellation of Eridanus.This sharp, multi-color, telescopic imageof NGC 1232 includes remarkable details of the distant island universe.From the core outward, the galaxy'scolors change from the yellowishlight of old stars in the center to young blue starclusters and reddish star forming regions along the grand, sweepingspiral arms.NGC 1232's apparent, small, barred-spiral companion galaxyis cataloged as NGC 1232A.Distance estimates place it much farther though,around 300 million light-years away, and unlikely to beinteracting with NGC 1232. Of course, the prominent bright star with the spiky appearanceis much closer than NGC 1232 and lies well within our own Milky Way. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 19 The Great Carina Nebula Image Credit &Copyright:Demison Lopes Explanation: A jewel of the southern sky,the GreatCarina Nebula is more modestly known as NGC 3372.One of ourGalaxy'slargest star forming regions, it spans over 300 light-years.Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the unaided eye.But at a distance of 7,500 light-years it lies some 5 times farther away.This stunning telescopic view revealsremarkable details of the region's glowing filaments of interstellar gasand obscuring cosmic dust clouds.TheCarina Nebulais home to young, extremely massive stars, includingthe still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, astar with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinaeis the bright star above the central dark notch in this field and left of thedusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324). Tomorrow's picture: diamond in the sky <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech....
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 18 Facing NGC 1232 Image Credit &Copyright:Neil Corke Explanation: From our vantage point in theMilky Way Galaxy,we see NGC 1232 face-on.Nearly 200,000 light-years across, the big, beautifulspiral galaxyis located some 47 million light-years away in the flowing southernconstellation of Eridanus.This sharp, multi-color, telescopic imageof NGC 1232 includes remarkable details of the distant island universe.From the core outward, the galaxy'scolors change from the yellowishlight of old stars in the center to young blue starclusters and reddish star forming regions along the grand, sweepingspiral arms.NGC 1232's apparent, small, barred-spiral companion galaxyis cataloged as NGC 1232A.Distance estimates place it much farther though,around 300 million light-years away, and unlikely to beinteracting with NGC 1232. Of course, the prominent bright star with the spiky appearanceis much closer than NGC 1232 and lies well within our own Milky Way. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA...
APOD: 2024 April 12 - Total Totality Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 12 Total Totality Image Credit &Copyright:Daniel Korona Explanation: Baily's beadsoften appear at the boundaries of thetotal phase of an eclipse of the Sun.Pearls of sunlight still beaming through gaps in therugged terrain alongthe lunar limb silhouette, their appearance is recordedin this dramatic timelapse composite.The series of images follows the Moon's edge frombeginning through the end of totality during April 8's solar eclipsefrom Durango, Mexico.They also capture pinkish prominences of plasmaarcing high above the edge of the active Sun.One of the first places in North America visited by theMoon's shadowon April 8, totality in Durango lasted about 3 minutes and 46 seconds. Solar Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD Tomorrow's picture: palm tree pinholes <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 13 Palm Tree Partial Eclipse Image Credit &Copyright:Lori Haffelt Explanation: Only thosealong the narrow trackof the Moon's shadow on April 8 saw a total solar eclipse.But most of North America still saw a partial eclipse of the Sun.From Clearwater, Florida, USA thissingle snapshot captured multiple images of thatmore widely viewed celestial event without observing the Sun directly.In the shadeof a palm tree, criss-crossing frondsare projecting recognizable eclipse images on the ground,pinhole camera style. In Clearwater the maximum eclipse phase was about 53 percent. Solar Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD Tomorrow's picture: Sunday's Childe <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
APOD: 2024 April 11 - Eclipse in Seven Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 11 Eclipse in Seven Image Credit &Copyright:Xiaofeng Tan Explanation: Start at the upper left above and you can follow the progress ofApril 8'stotal eclipse of the Sun in seven sharp, separate exposures.The image sequence was recorded with a telescopeand camera located within thenarrow path of totality as theMoon's shadowswept across Newport, Vermont, USA.At center is a spectacular view ofthe solar corona.The tenuous outer atmosphere of the Sun is only easily visible tothe eye in clear dark skies during the total eclipse phase.Seen from Newport,the total phase for this solareclipse lasted about 3 minutes and 26 seconds. Monday's Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD Tomorrow's picture: the beginning and the end <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 12 Total Totality Image Credit &Copyright:Daniel Korona Explanation: Baily's beadsoften appear at the boundaries of thetotal phase of an eclipse of the Sun.Pearls of sunlight still beaming through gaps in therugged terrain alongthe lunar limb silhouette, their appearance is recordedin this dramatic timelapse composite.The series of images follows the Moon's edge frombeginning through the end of totality during April 8's solar eclipsefrom Durango, Mexico.They also capture pinkish prominences of plasmaarcing high above the edge of the active Sun.One of the first places in North America visited by theMoon's shadowon April 8, totality in Durango lasted about 3 minutes and 46 seconds. Solar Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD Tomorrow's picture: palm tree pinholes <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 11 Eclipse in Seven Image Credit &Copyright:Xiaofeng Tan Explanation: Start at the upper left above and you can follow the progress ofApril 8'stotal eclipse of the Sun in seven sharp, separate exposures.The image sequence was recorded with a telescopeand camera located within thenarrow path of totality as theMoon's shadowswept across Newport, Vermont, USA.At center is a spectacular view ofthe solar corona.The tenuous outer atmosphere of the Sun is only easily visible tothe eye in clear dark skies during the total eclipse phase.Seen from Newport,the total phase for this solareclipse lasted about 3 minutes and 26 seconds. Monday's Eclipse Imagery: Notable Submissions to APOD Tomorrow's picture: the beginning and the end <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
APOD: 2024 April 5 - The Solar Corona Unwrapped Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 5 The Solar Corona Unwrapped Image Credit &Copyright: Peter Ward(Barden Ridge Observatory) Explanation: Changes in thealluring solar coronaare detailed in thiscreative composite imagemapping the dynamic outer atmosphere of the Sun during two separate total solar eclipses.Unwrapped from the complete circle of the eclipsed Sun's edgeto a rectangle and mirrored, the entire solar corona is shownduring the2017 eclipse (bottom)seen from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the2023 eclipse from Exmouth, Western Australia.While the 2017 eclipse was near a minimum in theSun's 11 year activity cycle,the 2023 eclipse was closer to solar maximum.The 2023 solar corona hints at the dramatically different characterof the active Sun,with many streamers and pinkish prominences arising along the solar limb.Of course, the solar corona is only easily visible to the eyewhile standing in the shadow of the Moon. NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8 Tomorrow's picture: M51 unwound <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 6 Unwinding M51 Image Credit &Copyright:Data -Hubble Heritage Project,Unwinding - Paul Howell Explanation: The arms of a grand design spiral galaxy 60,000 light-years across areunwound in this digital transformation of the magnificent 2005Hubble Space Telescope portrait of M51.In fact, M51 is one of the original spiral nebulae, its windingarms described by a mathematical curve known as alogarithmicspiral, a spiral whose separation grows in ageometricway with increasing distance from the center.Applying logarithms to shift the pixelcoordinates in the Hubble image relative to the center of M51 mapsthe galaxy's spiral arms into diagonal straight lines.The transformed image dramatically shows the arms themselves aretraced by star formation, lined with pinkish starformingregions and young blue star clusters.Companion galaxy NGC 5195 (top) seems to alter the track of the arm infront of it though, and itself remains relatively unaffected by thisunwinding of M51.Also known as thespiramirabilis,logarthimic spirals can be found in nature on all scales.For example, logarithmic spirals can also describehurricanes, the tracks of subatomic particles in abubble chamberand, of course,cauliflower. NASA Coverage: Total Solar...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 5 The Solar Corona Unwrapped Image Credit &Copyright: Peter Ward(Barden Ridge Observatory) Explanation: Changes in thealluring solar coronaare detailed in thiscreative composite imagemapping the dynamic outer atmosphere of the Sun during two separate total solar eclipses.Unwrapped from the complete circle of the eclipsed Sun's edgeto a rectangle and mirrored, the entire solar corona is shownduring the2017 eclipse (bottom)seen from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the2023 eclipse from Exmouth, Western Australia.While the 2017 eclipse was near a minimum in theSun's 11 year activity cycle,the 2023 eclipse was closer to solar maximum.The 2023 solar corona hints at the dramatically different characterof the active Sun,with many streamers and pinkish prominences arising along the solar limb.Of course, the solar corona is only easily visible to the eyewhile standing in the shadow of the Moon. NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8 Tomorrow's picture: M51 unwound <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility...
APOD: 2024 April 4 - Comet Pons-Brooks at Night Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 4 Comet Pons-Brooks at Night Image Credit &Copyright: Dan Bartlett` Explanation: In dark evening skies over June Lake,northern hemisphere, planet Earth,Comet 12P/Pons-Brooksstood just above the western horizon on March 30.Its twisted turbulent ion tail and diffuse greenish coma are capturedin this two degree wide telescopic field of view along with brightyellowish star Hamal also known asAlpha Arietis.Now Pons-Brooks has moved out of the northern night though, approachingperihelion on April 21.On April 8 you mightstill spot the comet in daytime skies.But to do it, you will have to stand in the path of totality andlook away from the spectacle of analluring solar corona and totally eclipsed Sun. NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8 Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 April 4 Comet Pons-Brooks at Night Image Credit &Copyright: Dan Bartlett` Explanation: In dark evening skies over June Lake,northern hemisphere, planet Earth,Comet 12P/Pons-Brooksstood just above the western horizon on March 30.Its twisted turbulent ion tail and diffuse greenish coma are capturedin this two degree wide telescopic field of view along with brightyellowish star Hamal also known asAlpha Arietis.Now Pons-Brooks has moved out of the northern night though, approachingperihelion on April 21.On April 8 you mightstill spot the comet in daytime skies.But to do it, you will have to stand in the path of totality andlook away from the spectacle of analluring solar corona and totally eclipsed Sun. NASA Coverage: Total Solar Eclipse of 2024 April 8 Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
APOD: 2024 March 29 - Galileo's Europa Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 March 29 Galileo's Europa Image Credit: NASA,JPL-Caltech,SETI Institute,Cynthia Phillips,Marty Valenti Explanation: Looping through the Jovian system in the late 1990s, theGalileo spacecraftrecorded stunning views of Europa and uncoveredevidence that the moon's icy surface likely hidesa deep, global ocean.Galileo's Europa image data has beenremastered here, with improved calibrations to produce acolor image approximating what the human eye might see.Europa's long curving fractureshint at the subsurface liquid water. The tidal flexing the large moon experiencesin its elliptical orbitaround Jupiter supplies the energy to keep the ocean liquid.But moretantalizing is the possibilitythat even in theabsence of sunlight that process could also supply the energy tosupport life,making Europaone of the best places to look for lifebeyond Earth.The Juno spacecraft currently in Jovian orbithas also made repeated flybys of the water world,returning images along with data exploringEuropa's habitability.This October will see the launch of the NASA'sEuropa Clipperon a voyage ofexploration.The spacecraft will make nearly 50 flybys,approaching to within 25 kilometers of Europa's icy surface. Tomorrow's picture: Ptolemy's astronomy <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search|...
Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe isfeatured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 March 30 Medieval Astronomy from Melk Abbey Image Credit: Paul Beck (Univ. Vienna),Georg Zotti (ViennaInst. Arch. Science)Copyright: Library of Melk Abbey, Frag. 229 Explanation: Discovered by accident, this manuscript pageprovides graphical insight to astronomy inmedieval times, before theRenaissance and the influence ofNicolaus Copernicus,Tycho de Brahe,Johannes Kepler, andGalileo.The intriguing page is from lecture noteson astronomy compiled by the monk Magister Wolfgang de Styriabefore the year 1490.The top panels clearly illustrate the necessary geometry for alunar (left) and solar eclipse in the Earth-centeredPtolemaic system.At lower left is a diagram of the Ptolemaic view of theSolar Systemwith text at the upper right to explain the movementof the planets according toPtolemy's geocentricmodel.At the lower right is a chart to calculate thedateof Easter Sunday in theJulian calendar.The illustrated manuscript page was found at historicMelk Abbey in Austria. Tomorrow's picture: eclipse below <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC,NASA Science Activation&...