Dark Web

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a simulation of our universe. What is dark matter? Where is dark matter? This simulation takes a look at this possible explanation for why we can't seem to match up observations with what the universe "should weigh". Calling Stephen Baxter...calling Stephen Baxter...

Fallingwater

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a time exposure under the falling stars of Orion.

Haunted Planetscape

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day combines geyser activity with auroral activity. Ridley Scott's latest attempt to ruin the Aliens franchise? An actual alien landscape like Titan? Enceladus? No...Earth!

Ghosts in Spaaaaccce!

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 6369, The Little Ghost Nebula. A planetary nebula (that is not a planet) but a graveyard. How spooky!

Space Ghost

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day depicts an accidental astronomical pair. Mirach, a star in the Big Dipper dominates this field of view. Overwhelmed by both distance and the apparent magnitude of Mirach is NGC 404, a galaxy that is popularly known as Mirach's Ghost.

The Bubble Nebula

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows NGC 7635, popularly known as The Bubble Nebula. In addition to this object, a long exposure over the wide field shows additional objects of interest, such as Messier 52, a open cluster of stars.

A Hole in the Moon

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows the Marius Hills region of our own Moon. This classic Lunar Orbiter 2 image (with an insert courtesy of the current Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) shows this fascinating region of the Moon, home of signs of volcanic activity (volcanic domes). Further examination appears to have discovered what appears to be a "skylight" (hole) into a lava tube. Could this be utilized for a future base or colony on the Moon?

Origin Stories

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a familiar chart: the Periodic Table of the Elements. It's been modified to show where each element was created. You know the Carl Sagan phrase...

Optical Link

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day might be visual proof of an event in another spectrum. Is the fading dot in this far galaxy the light generated by what was first detected through gravitational waves?

Dance of the Schwarzchild Radius

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day peers into the heart of active galaxy 3C 75. Two supermassive black holes do a gravitational dance that probably will not end well for the parent galaxy.

What's Brewing?

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows Lynds Dark Nebula 183. What is brewing in those molecular clouds?

Full Trifid

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows the Trifid Nebula, Messier 20, in the constellation of Sagittarius. "Mouseover" the image in the link to compare this astronomical object to a Full Moon.

A Classic Messier

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows Messier 51 (known separately as NGC 5194 and NGC 5195). This astronomical wonder is relatively easy to find (see the text in the link) and a nice target for even small astronomical refractors.

Dusty Chambers

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day peers into the birthing chambers of Corona Australis and the several reflection nebula of the region.

The Fifth Dwarf

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows an artistic depiction of Haumea, the fifth object in our solar system to be designated as a "dwarf planet" (along with Pluto, Ceres, Eris and Makemake). Haumea was recently found to have not only a ring, but two moons of it's own (Hi'iaka and Namaka).

Echoes

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a short conceptual video showing the death spiral of two neutron stars. The echoes of such an event—ripples of both gravity and electromagnetic radiation—were recently detected.

Make New Friends

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day examines the origin of gold (and other "heavy" metals) on our planet. Could the gold you wear as jewelry be a lucky accident of astronomical coordinates?

Around the Horizon

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a "all-sky" image of what appears to be auroral activity. Called Steve Arcs, they are less emissions from energetic electrons than thermal emissions from flowing gas. Steve Arcs are a good example of "citizen science" as the description in the link shows.

Under the Chilean Skies

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows The Large Magellanic Cloud over a cluster of instruments at the Las Campanas Observatory (did you know that Chile is home to the overwhelming bulk of ground-based aperture at this point—with those skies you can see why!). Oh, to be able to observe there even with my traveling refractor!

Spiral Standard

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows a barred spiral galaxy (called because of the so-called "bar" that stretches across the nucleus) NGC 1365 in Fornax. Most galaxies are not as spectacular in binoculars or small telescopes, but are still worth seeking, especially if you are in a dense concentration and can "hop" from one to the other, endlessly revealing new astronomical delights.

Cluster and Jewels

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows a jeweled globular cluster in Tucanae (NGC 362), in the Lesser Magellanic Cloud. Globular clusters are beautiful sights even in binoculars or small telescopes, appearing as a sprinkling of tiny crystals across a rich velvet background.

Arch and Pinnacles

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a spectacular view of the Milky Way stretching over rock spires in Nambung National Park in Australia. To live under such skies! "Mouseover" the image in the link for a guide.

Tales of the Flying Mountains

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows a mountain on an asteroid. But aren't asteroids just small rocks? Not all: Ceres (pictured here) and a few others were large enough that they were mistaken for planets and rival some other objects in our system.

Dark Skies

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows dark molecular cloud Barnard 68 in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Can you think of a famous dark cloud or two from science fiction?

No, Not Right Before the Comet Killer

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day could be the last few seconds before the dinosaur killer hit, but is instead the recent solar eclipse in the sky over the Tate Geological Museum!

Solar Impact

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows the results of a solar storm around Mars. Astronauts on the surface would have experienced double the "normal" exposure to radiation during such an event. Did solar activity help to strip away the earlier atmosphere of Mars?

Plaster Pluto

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day is a lovely closeup of Pluto, as imaged by the New Horizons 2015 probe. Is it just me, or does it look like a plaster model?

Deep Red

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day peers through the infrared to bring us a view of W5, The Soul Nebula. This infrared view is courtesy of the Herschel Space Observatory.

Galactic Ring

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows a ring around the star known as Fomalhaut. In a crazy sky of Dagon (a planet), dust disks and possibly more planets, comets and planetesimals add to a ring system that puts Saturn to shame.

Night Ghosts

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows two comets moving "together" in the sky. "Mouseover" the image in the link to get a constellation guide.

Fast Mover

Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day shows a NASA concept of a "environmentally friendly" supersonic transport.