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.
Markarian's Chain of Galaxies
Across the heart of the Virgo Cluster of Galaxies lies a striking string of galaxies known as Markarian's Chain. The chain, pictured above , is highlighted on the upper right with…
Possible Jet Blown Shells Near Microquasar Cygnus X-1
What happens to matter that falls toward an energetic black hole? In the case of Cygnus X-1 , perhaps little of that matter actually makes it in. Infalling gas may first collide…
Asteroid Eros Reconstructed
Orbiting the Sun between Mars and Earth , asteroid 433 Eros was visited by the robot spacecraft NEAR-Shoemaker in 2000 February. High-resolution surface images and measurements…
One-Armed Spiral Galaxy NGC 4725
While most spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way , have two or more spiral arms, NGC 4725 seems to have only one. In this sharp color image , the solo spira mirabilis is…
Stars and Dust Across Corona Australis
Cosmic dust clouds sprawl across a rich field of stars in this sweeping telescopic vista near the northern boundary of Corona Australis , the Southern Crown. Probably less than…
Sunspots on a Cloudy Day
On June 2nd, clouds over Stuttgart, Germany parted to reveal what has become a relatively rare sight, spots on the Sun . In fact, the roughly 11-year solar activity cycle is still…
VB 10: A Large Planet Orbiting a Small Star
Can a planet be as large as the star that it orbits? Recent observations have discovered that nearby Van Biesbroeck's star might have just such a large planet. Although VB 10 lies…
Spokes Reappear on Saturn's Rings
What causes the mysterious spokes in Saturn's rings? Visible in the above image as light ghostlike impressions, spokes were first discovered in the mid-1970s and first…
Spirit Encounters Soft Ground on Mars
Will Spirit be able to free itself from soft ground on Mars? The robotic Spirit rover currently rolling across Mars ran into unexpectedly soft ground last month while exploring…
A Solar Prominence from SOHO
How can gas float above the Sun? Twisted magnetic fields arching from the solar surface can trap ionized gas, suspending it in huge looping structures. These majestic plasma…
A Beautiful Trifid
The beautiful Trifid Nebula is a colorful study in cosmic contrasts. Also known as M20, it lies about 5,000 light-years away toward the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. A…
Messier 106
Close to the Great Bear (Ursa Major) and surrounded by the stars of the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici), this celestial wonder was discovered in 1781 by the metric French astronomer…
Moon in the Mullica
Still waters mimic a predawn sky along the eastern horizon in this peaceful scene. The picture was recorded on May 22nd from the banks of the Mullica River, in a forested region…
Volcanic Terrain on Mercury
Why are many large craters on Mercury relatively smooth inside? Recent images from the robotic MESSENGER spacecraft that flew by Mercury last October show previously uncharted…
Whirlpool Galaxy Deep Field
Follow the handle of the Big Dipper away from the dipper's bowl, until you get to the handle's last bright star. Then, just slide your telescope a little south and west and you…
Hubble Floats Free
Why put observatories in space? Most telescopes are on the ground. On the ground, you can deploy a heavier telescope and fix it more easily. The trouble is that Earth-bound…
Carina Nebula Panorama from Hubble
In one of the brightest parts of Milky Way lies a nebula where some of the oddest things occur. NGC 3372, known as the Great Nebula in Carina , is home to massive stars and…
Apollo 12 and Surveyor 3 Stereo View
Put on your red/blue glasses and gaze into this dramatic stereo view from the surface of the Moon . The 3D scene features Apollo 12 astronaut Pete Conrad visiting the Surveyor 3…
East of Antares
East of Antares, dark markings sprawl through crowded star fields toward the center of our Milky Way Galaxy. Cataloged in the early 20th century by astronomer E. E. Barnard , the…
IC 4592: A Blue Horsehead
This complex of beautiful, dusty reflection nebulae lies in the constellation Scorpius along the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. Its overall outline suggests a horsehead in…
Above Earth, Fixing Hubble
What is that astronaut doing? Fixing the Hubble Space Telescope . During the fourth servicing mission to upgrade and fix Hubble, astronaut Michael Good can be seen attached to the…
Sagittarius and the Central Milky Way
What does the center of our Milky Way Galaxy look like? In visible light, no one knows! It is not possible to see the Galactic center in light our eyes are sensitive to because…
Moon Rays Over Thurso Castle
What's happening over that castle? While waiting for the Moon to rise last month in Thurso , Scotland , amateur astrophotographer Stewart Watt took a three minute exposure of the…
Mimas: Small Moon with a Big Crater
Whatever hit Mimas nearly destroyed it. What remains is one of the largest impact craters on one of Saturn 's smallest moons. The crater, named Herschel after the 1789 discoverer…
Viewing discoveries from 9 June 2009 through 17 May 2009.