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. 2023 July 22 Apollo 11: Armstrong's Lunar Selfie Image Credit: NASA, Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong; Processing: Michael Ranger Explanation: A photograph of Buzz Aldrinstanding on the Moon taken byNeil Armstrong,was digitally reversed to create this lunar selfie.Captured in July 1969 following the Apollo 11 moon landing,Armstrong's original photographrecorded not only themagnificent desolationof an unfamiliar world, but Armstrong himself reflected in Aldrin's curved visor. In the unwrapped image,thespherical distortionof the reflection in Aldrin's helmet has been reversed. The transformed view features Armstrong himself from Aldrin's perspective.Since Armstrong took the original picture,today the imagerepresents a fifty-four year old lunar selfie. Aldrin's visor reflection in the original image appears here on the left.Bright (but distorted) planetEarth hangs in the lunar skyabove Armstrong's figure, toward the upper right.A foil-wrapped leg of the Eagle landerand Aldrin's long shadow stretchingacross the lunar surface are prominently visible. In 2024NASA's Artemis II missionwill return humans to the Moon. Tomorrow's picture: unexpected clock<| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry...
APOD: 2023 July 20 - M64: The Black Eye Galaxy 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. 2023 July 20 M64: The Black Eye Galaxy Close Up Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble,HLA; Processing: Jonathan Lodge Explanation: This magnificent spiral galaxy isMessier 64,often called the Black Eye Galaxy or theSleeping Beauty Galaxyfor itsdark-lidded appearancein telescopic views.The spiral's central region,about 7,400 light-years across, is pictured in thisreprocessed image from the Hubble Space Telescope.M64 lies some 17 million light-years distant in theotherwise well-groomed northern constellationComa Berenices.The enormous dust clouds partially obscuringM64's central regionare laced with young, blue star clusters and thereddish glow of hydrogen associated with star forming regions. But imposing clouds of dust are not this galaxy's only peculiar feature.Observations show that M64 is actuallycomposed of two concentric, counter-rotating systems.While all the stars in M64 rotate in the same direction as theinterstellar gas in the galaxy's central region, gas in the outerregions, extending to about 40,000 light-years, rotates inthe opposite direction.The dusty eyeand bizarre rotation are likely the result of abillion year old merger of two different galaxies. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space<| Archive| Submissions |...
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. 2023 July 20 M64: The Black Eye Galaxy Close Up Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble,HLA; Processing: Jonathan Lodge Explanation: This magnificent spiral galaxy isMessier 64,often called the Black Eye Galaxy or theSleeping Beauty Galaxyfor itsdark-lidded appearancein telescopic views.The spiral's central region,about 7,400 light-years across, is pictured in thisreprocessed image from the Hubble Space Telescope.M64 lies some 17 million light-years distant in theotherwise well-groomed northern constellationComa Berenices.The enormous dust clouds partially obscuringM64's central regionare laced with young, blue star clusters and thereddish glow of hydrogen associated with star forming regions. But imposing clouds of dust are not this galaxy's only peculiar feature.Observations show that M64 is actuallycomposed of two concentric, counter-rotating systems.While all the stars in M64 rotate in the same direction as theinterstellar gas in the galaxy's central region, gas in the outerregions, extending to about 40,000 light-years, rotates inthe opposite direction.The dusty eyeand bizarre rotation are likely the result of abillion year old merger of two different galaxies. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space<| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education|...
APOD: 2023 July 13 - Webb's Rho Ophiuchi 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. 2023 July 13 Webb's Rho Ophiuchi Image Credit:NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI,Klaus Pontoppidan (STScI),Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Explanation: A mere 390 light-years away,Sun-like stars and future planetary systems are forming inthe Rho Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex,the closest star-forming region to our fair planet.The James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam peeredinto the nearby natal chaosto capture this infrared image atan inspiring scale.The spectacular cosmic snapshot was released to celebrate the successfulfirst year ofWebb's explorationof the Universe.The frame spansless than a light-year across the Rho Ophiuchi regionand contains about 50 young stars.Brighter stars clearly sport Webb's characteristic pattern ofdiffraction spikes.Huge jets of shocked molecular hydrogenblasting fromnewborn stars are red in the image, withthe large, yellowish dusty cavity carved out by the energeticyoung star near its center.Near some stars in the stunning image are shadows cast by theirprotoplanetary disks. 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: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA...
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. 2023 July 15 Webb's First Deep Field Image Credit: NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI,NIRCam Explanation: This stunning infrared imagewas releasedone year agoas the James Webb Space Telescope began its exploration of the cosmos.The viewof theearly Universetoward the southern constellation Volanswas achieved in 12.5 hours of exposure with Webb's NIRCam instrument.Of course the stars with six spikes are well within our ownMilky Way.Their diffractionpattern is characteristic of Webb's 18 hexagonal mirrorsegments operating together as a single 6.5 meter diameter primarymirror.The thousands of galaxies flooding the field of view are members of thedistant galaxy cluster SMACS0723-73, some 4.6 billion light-years away.Luminous arcs that seem to infest the deep field areeven more distant galaxies though.Their images are distorted and magnified by thedark matter dominated mass of the galaxy cluster, an effectknown as gravitational lensing.Analyzing lightfrom two separate arcs below the bright spiky star,Webb's NIRISS instrument indicates the arcsare both images of the same background galaxy.And that galaxy's light took about 9.5 billion years to reach theJames Webb Space Telescope. Tomorrow's picture: view with a thrill<| Archive| Submissions | Index|...
APOD: 2023 July 13 - Webb s Rho Ophiuchi 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. 2023 July 13 Webb's Rho Ophiuchi Image Credit:NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI,Klaus Pontoppidan (STScI),Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Explanation: A mere 390 light-years away,Sun-like stars and future planetary systems are forming inthe Rho Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex,the closest star-forming region to our fair planet.The James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam peeredinto the nearby natal chaosto capture this infrared image atan inspiring scale.The spectacular cosmic snapshot was released to celebrate the successfulfirst year ofWebb's explorationof the Universe.The frame spansless than a light-year across the Rho Ophiuchi regionand contains about 50 young stars.Brighter stars clearly sport Webb's characteristic pattern ofdiffraction spikes.Huge jets of shocked molecular hydrogenblasting fromnewborn stars are red in the image, withthe large, yellowish dusty cavity carved out by the energeticyoung star near its center.Near some stars in the stunning image are shadows cast by theirprotoplanetary disks. 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: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD...
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. 2023 July 13 Webb's Rho Ophiuchi Image Credit:NASA,ESA,CSA,STScI,Klaus Pontoppidan (STScI),Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Explanation: A mere 390 light-years away,Sun-like stars and future planetary systems are forming inthe Rho Ophiuchi molecular cloud complex,the closest star-forming region to our fair planet.The James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam peeredinto the nearby natal chaosto capture this infrared image atan inspiring scale.The spectacular cosmic snapshot was released to celebrate the successfulfirst year ofWebb's explorationof the Universe.The frame spansless than a light-year across the Rho Ophiuchi regionand contains about 50 young stars.Brighter stars clearly sport Webb's characteristic pattern ofdiffraction spikes.Huge jets of shocked molecular hydrogenblasting fromnewborn stars are red in the image, withthe large, yellowish dusty cavity carved out by the energeticyoung star near its center.Near some stars in the stunning image are shadows cast by theirprotoplanetary disks. 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: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC& Michigan Tech....
APOD: 2023 July 7 - The Double Cluster in Perseus 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. 2023 July 7 The Double Cluster in Perseus Image Credit &Copyright: Mårten Frosth Explanation: This pretty starfieldspans about three full moons (1.5 degrees)across the heroic northern constellation ofPerseus.It holds the famouspair of open star clusters,h and Chi Persei.Also cataloged asNGC 869 (top)and NGC 884,both clusters are about 7,000 light-years away andcontain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters areboth 13 million years youngbased onthe ages of theirindividual stars,evidence that they were likely a product of the same star-forming region.Always a rewardingsight in binoculars,the Double Cluster is even visible to the unaided eye fromdark locations. Tomorrow's picture: doomed moon<| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC& 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. 2023 July 8 Stickney Crater Image Credit: HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona), NASA Explanation: Stickney Crater, the largest crater on the martian moon Phobos,is named forChloe Angeline StickneyHall,mathematician andwife of astronomer Asaph Hall.Asaph Hall discovered both theRed Planet's moons in 1877.Over 9 kilometers across, Stickney is nearly half thediameter of Phobos itself, so large that theimpact that blasted out the crater likely came closeto shattering the tiny moon.This enhanced-color imageof Stickney and surroundingswas recorded by the HiRISE camera onboard theMars Reconnaissance Orbiter as it passed within somesix thousand kilometersof Phobos in March of 2008.Even though the surface gravity ofasteroid-like Phobosis less than 1/1000th Earth's gravity, streaks suggest loosematerial slid down inside the crater walls over time.Light bluish regions near the crater's rim could indicatea relatively freshly exposed surface.The origin of the curious grooves along the surface ismysterious but may be related to tidal stresses experienced byclose-orbiting Phobos orthe crater-forming impact itself. Tomorrow's picture: doomed star<| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU)...
APOD: 2023 July 6 - Fireworks vs Supermoon 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. 2023 July 6 Fireworks vs Supermoon Image Credit &Copyright: Michael Seeley Explanation: On July 4, an almost Full Moon rosein planet Earth'sevening skies.Also known as a Buck Moon, the full lunar phase (full on July 3at 11:39 UTC) was near perigee,the closest point in the Moon'salmost monthly orbit around planet Earth.That qualifiedthis July's Full Moon as a supermoon,the first offour supermoons in 2023.Seen from Cocoa Beach along Florida'sSpace Coast on July 4,any big, bright, beautiful Full Moon would stillhave to compete for attention though.July's super-moonrise was captured hereagainst a super-colorful fireworks display. 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: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC& 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. 2023 July 7 The Double Cluster in Perseus Image Credit &Copyright: Mårten Frosth Explanation: This pretty starfieldspans about three full moons (1.5 degrees)across the heroic northern constellation ofPerseus.It holds the famouspair of open star clusters,h and Chi Persei.Also cataloged asNGC 869 (top)and NGC 884,both clusters are about 7,000 light-years away andcontain stars much younger and hotter than the Sun. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, the clusters areboth 13 million years youngbased onthe ages of theirindividual stars,evidence that they were likely a product of the same star-forming region.Always a rewardingsight in binoculars,the Double Cluster is even visible to the unaided eye fromdark locations. Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend<| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Phillip NewmanSpecific rights apply.NASA WebPrivacy Policy and Important NoticesA service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC& Michigan Tech. U.