APOD: 2023 February 5 Б Enceladus by Saturnshine
4.02.2023

This moon is shining by the light of its planet. Specifically, a large portion of Enceladus pictured here is illuminated primarily by sunlight first reflected from the planet Saturn. The result is that the normally snow-white moon appears in the gold color of Saturn's cloud tops.

APOD: 2023 February 27 Б Zodiacal Ray with Venus and Jupiter
26.02.2023

What's causing that unusual ray of light extending from the horizon? Dust orbiting the Sun. At certain times of the year, a band of sun-reflecting dust from the inner Solar System appears prominently after sunset or before sunrise and is called zodiacal light.

APOD: 2023 April 26 Б The Moon through the Arc de Triomphe
25.04.2023

Was this a lucky shot? Although many amazing photographs are taken by someone who just happenedбto be in the right place at the right time, this image took skill and careful planning. First...

APOD: 2023 May 9 Б Shadows of Earth
8.05.2023

Can you find two Earth shadows in today's image? It's a bit tricky. To find the first shadow, observe that the top part of the atmosphere appears pink and the lower part appears blue. This is because the top half is exposed to direct sunlight, while the lower part is not.

APOD: 2025 June 28 Б Lunar Farside
27.06.2025

Tidally locked in synchronous rotation, the Moon always presents its familiar nearside to denizens of planet Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon's farside can become familiar, though. In fact this sharp picture, a mosaic from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's wide angle camera, is centered on the lunar farside.

APOD: 2026 April 17 Б M82: Starburst Galaxy with a Superwind
16.04.2026

Messier 82 is a starburst galaxy with a superwind. In fact, through supernova explosions and powerful winds from massive stars, the burst of star formation in M82 is driving a prodigious outflow. Evidence for the superwind from the galaxy's central regions is clear in the sharp telescopic portrait.

APOD: 2024 November 11 Б The Unusual Tails of Comet Tsuchinshan Atlas
10.11.2024

What created an unusual dark streak in Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas's tail? Some images of the bright comet during mid-October not only caught its impressively long tail and its thin anti-tail, but a rather unexpected feature: a dark streak in the long tail.

APOD: 2004 August 30- Announcing Comet C 2003 K4 LINEAR
30.08.2004

A comet discovered last year has brightened unexpectedly and now may become visible to the unaided eye within the next month. Designated Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR), the comet was discovered in 2003 May by project LINEAR.

APOD: 2023 June 12 Б The Largest Satellites of Earth
11.06.2023

WhatБs that near the Moon? ItБs the International Space Station (ISS). Although the ISS may appear to be physically near the Moon, it is not Б it is physically near the Earth.

APOD: 2023 October 18 Б Dust and the Western Veil Nebula
17.10.2023

It's so big it is easy to miss. The entire Veil Nebula spans six times the diameter of the full moon, but is so dim you need binoculars to see it. The nebula was created about 15,000 years ago when a star in the constellation of the Swan (Cygnus) exploded.