APOD: 2026 July 28 Б Barnards Loop over Twin Volcanoes
28.07.2026

What's connecting these two volcanoes? In ancient folklore, the two volcanoes, Parinacota (left) and Pomerape (right), are connected by representing a mythical prince and princess who engaged in a forbidden romance. Beneath...

APOD is Six Years Old Today
16.06.2001

Welcome to the seventh year of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). Editors Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell are extremely grateful for the continued large volume of gracious e-mail and APOD submissions (and also for the "occasional" critical note!). Today we would like to offer a very sincere thank you to all.

APOD: 2026 September 14 Б Where Your Elements Came From
14.09.2026

The hydrogen in your body and present in every molecule of water came from the Big Bang. There are no other appreciable sources of hydrogen in the universe. The carbon in your body was made by nuclear fusion in the interior of stars, as was the oxygen.

APOD: 2025 July 1 Б Eye Sky a Dragon
1.07.2025

What do you see when you look into this sky? In the center, in the dark, do you see a night sky filled with stars? Do you see a sunset to the left? Clouds all around? Do you see the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy running down the middle?

APOD: 2026 August 28 Б The Sky Turns Above Paranal
28.08.2026

At the latitude of ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile, about 25 degrees south, Earth's rotation moves the planet's surface eastward at over 1,500 kilometers per hour. And while that's faster than the speed of sound at sea level, the motion is imperceptible.

APOD: 2026 September 19 Б A Zodiacal Night
19.09.2026

Also known as the false dawn, a luminous band of zodiacal light is captured in this dark night skyscape. The serene view was recorded just before the beginning of astronomical twilight during September's star party at the remote Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, Ladakh, India, planet Earth.

APOD: 2008 January 1- Rays from an Unexpected Aurora
1.01.2008

This aurora was a bit of a surprise. For starters, on this day in 2002, no intense auroral activity was expected at all. Possibly more surprising, however, the aurora appeared to show an usual structure of green rays from some locations.

APOD: 2026 August 3 Б Vaporizing Meteor Photobombs the Lacerta Nebula
3.08.2026

What's happening to this meteor? This bright meteor streak appeared and disappeared quickly during a long exposure of the Great Lacerta Nebula, seen faintly in red toward the center of the image.

APOD: 2004 August 24- Supply Ship Approaches the Space Station
24.08.2004

The crew on board the International Space Station sometimes needs supplies. As the US Space Shuttle fleet prepares to return to flight, supplies usually now come from a robot Progress supply vessel launched from Kazakhstan.

APOD: 2026 August 25 Б Earths Shadow Visualized with Lunar Eclipses
25.08.2026

WhatБs creating this giant hole in space? This is not a black hole Б itБs a shadow. ItБs EarthБs shadow. Since at least the time of Aristotle, people have noted that Earth's dark shadow on the Moon during a partial lunar eclipse is circular -- although never a whole circle.