Browse NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day archive by date and media: Archive Discoveries
Browse the NASA APOD archive without needing the exact date first. Filter by media type and keep moving deeper into older images and videos.
Simeis 147: Supernova Remnant
It's easy to get lost following the intricate filaments in this detailed image of faint supernova remnant Simeis 147. Also cataloged as Sh2-240 and seen towards the constellation…
NGC 1579: Trifid of the North
Colorful NGC 1579 resembles the better known Trifid Nebula, but lies much farther north in planet Earth's sky, in the heroic constellation Perseus . About 2,100 light-years away…
Eclipse Shirt 2009
Of course , everyone is concerned about what to wear to a solar eclipse . This is a great example though, especially for the first eclipse of the International Year of Astronomy…
A Partial Eclipse Over Manila Bay
What's happened to the setting Sun? An eclipse! Two days ago, the Moon eclipsed part of the Sun as visible from parts of Africa, Australia, and Asia . In particular the above…
The Milky Way Over Mauna Kea
Have you ever seen the band of our Milky Way Galaxy? In a clear sky from a dark location at the right time, a faint band of light becomes visible across the sky. Soon after your…
AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula
Is star AE Aurigae on fire? No. Even though AE Aurigae is named the flaming star, the surrounding nebula IC 405 is named the Flaming Star Nebula , and the region appears to harbor…
Annular Eclipse: The Ring of Fire
Tomorrow, a few lucky people may see a “ring of fire.” That's a name for the central view of an annular eclipse of the Sun by the Moon . At the peak of this eclipse , the middle…
The Bubble Nebula
Blown by the wind from a massive star, this interstellar apparition has a surprisingly familiar shape . Cataloged as NGC 7635, it is also known simply as The Bubble Nebula . This…
Globular Cluster NGC 2419
Of three objects prominent in this thoughtful telescopic image, a view toward the stealthy constellation Lynx , two (the spiky ones) are nearby stars. The third is the remote…
Planetary Nebula NGC 2818
NGC 2818 is a beautiful planetary nebula , the gaseous shroud of a dying sun-like star . It could well offer a glimpse of the future that awaits our own Sun after spending another…
A Lenticular Cloud Over New Zealand
What's happening above those mountains? Several clouds are stacked up into one striking lenticular cloud . Normally, air moves much more horizontally than it does vertically.…
Bonestell Panorama from Mars
If you could stand on Mars -- what could you see? One memorable vista might be the above 360-degree panoramic image taken by the robotic Spirit rover over the last year. The above…
Methane Discovered in the Atmosphere of Mars
Why is there methane on Mars? No one is sure. An important confirmation that methane exists in the atmosphere of Mars occurred last week, bolstering previous controversial claims…
Saturn's Hyperion: A Moon with Odd Craters
What lies at the bottom of Hyperion 's strange craters? Nobody knows. To help find out, the robot Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn swooped past the sponge-textured moon in…
IC 410 and NGC 1893
Dusty emission nebula IC 410 lies about 12,000 light-years away in the northern constellation Auriga . The cloud of glowing gas is over 100 light-years across, sculpted by stellar…
ISS: Reflections of Earth
Remarkable details are visible in this view of the orbiting International Space Station (ISS), recorded with a small telescope on planet Earth through a clear twilight sky. Seen…
Suspension Bridge Solargraph
If every picture tells a story, this one might make a novel. The six month long exposure compresses the time from December 17, 2007 to June 21, 2008 into a single point of view .…
NGC 2170: Celestial Still Life
Is this a painting or a photograph? In this beautiful celestial still life composed with a cosmic brush, dusty nebula NGC 2170 shines near the image center. Reflecting the light…
Largest Full Moon of 2009
A larger moon will not be seen this year. This past weekend, the largest full Moon of 2009 could be seen from almost any clear location on planet Earth at night . The large…
Unusual Light Pillars Over Latvia
What's happening over that town? Close inspection shows these strange columns of light occur over bright lights, and so likely involve falling ice crystals reflecting back these…
In the Shadow of Saturn
In the shadow of Saturn, unexpected wonders appear. The robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn recently drifted in giant planet's shadow for about 12 hours and looked back…
Martian Sunset
This month, the Mars Exploration Rovers are celebrating their 5th anniversary of operations on the surface of the Red Planet. The serene sunset view , part of their extensive…
NGC 4945 in Centaurus
Large, dusty, spiral galaxy NGC 4945 is seen edge-on near the center of this rich telescopic image . The field of view spans nearly 2 degrees, or about 4 times the width of the…
NGC 2736: The Pencil Nebula
This shock wave plows through space at over 500,000 kilometers per hour. Moving right to left in the beautifully detailed color composite, the thin, braided filaments are actually…
Viewing discoveries from 31 January 2009 through 8 January 2009.