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.
Ring Galaxy AM 0644-741 from Hubble
How could a galaxy become shaped like a ring? The rim of the blue galaxy pictured on the right is an immense ring-like structure 150,000 light years in diameter composed of newly…
The Great Crater Hokusai
One of the largest young craters on Mercury, 114 kilometer (71 mile) diameter Hokusai crater's bright rays are known to extend across much of the planet . But this mosaic of…
M46 Plus Two
Galactic or open star clusters are young. These swarms of stars are born together near the plane of the Milky Way, but their numbers steadily dwindle as cluster members are…
RGBpugh1024.jpg)
One-Armed Spiral Galaxy NGC 4725
While most spiral galaxies, including our own Milky Way, have two or more spiral arms, NGC 4725 has only one. In this sharp color composite image, the solo spira mirabilis seems…
Mystic Mountain Dust Pillars
It's stars versus dust in the Carina Nebula and the stars are winning. More precisely, the energetic light and winds from massive newly formed stars are evaporating and dispersing…
Through the Shadow of the Moon
What would it look like to fly through a total eclipse of the Sun? On a typical place on Earth in the path of the dark shadow of the Moon during a total eclipse, an observer would…
Milky Way over Erupting Volcano
The view was worth the trip. Battling high winds , cold temperatures , and low oxygen , the trek to near the top of the volcano Santa Maria in Guatemala -- while carrying…
Sentinels of the Arctic
Who guards the north? Judging from the above photograph, possibly giant trees covered in snow and ice. The featured picture was taken a few winters ago in Finnish Lapland where…
Venus in the West
In the coming days, Venus shines near the western horizon at sunset. To find Earth's sister planet in twilight skies just look for the brilliant evening star. Tonight very close…
NGC 2903: A Missing Jewel in Leo
Barred spiral galaxy NGC 2903 is only some 20 million light-years distant. Popular among amateur astronomers, it shines in the northern spring constellation Leo, near the top of…
A Golden Gate Eclipse
Shadows play on the water and in the sky in this panoramic view of the April 4 total lunar eclipse over San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. Just within planet Earth's shadow the…
Full Moon in Earth's Shadow
Last week the Full Moon was completely immersed in Earth's dark umbral shadow , just briefly though. The total phase of the April 4, 2015 lunar eclipse lasted less than 5 minutes,…
In the Heart of the Virgo Cluster
The Virgo Cluster of Galaxies is the closest cluster of galaxies to our Milky Way Galaxy . The Virgo Cluster is so close that it spans more than 5 degrees on the sky - about 10…
NGC 3293: A Bright Young Star Cluster
Hot blue stars shine brightly in this beautiful, recently formed galactic or “open” star cluster . Open cluster NGC 3293 is located in the constellation Carina , lies at a…
Saturn, Tethys, Rings, and Shadows
Seen from ice moon Tethys , rings and shadows would display fantastic views of the Saturnian system. Haven't dropped in on Tethys lately? Then this gorgeous ringscape from the…
Voorwerpjes in Space
Mysterious Hanny's Voorwerp , Dutch for “Hanny's Object”, is really enormous, about the size of the Milky Way Galaxy and glowing strongly in the greenish light produced by ionized…
Sun and Moon Halo
Two pictures captured on April 1 are combined in this creative day and night composite . Separated in time by about 10 hours the images otherwise match, looking along the coast at…
The Owl and the Galaxy
The Owl and the Galaxy sail these skies With blue and yellow star. They go together beneath the Big Dipper, If you wonder where they are. The Galaxy's light shines through the…
Suiting Up for the Moon
How will cows survive on the Moon? One of the most vexing questions asked about space, scientists have spent decades debating this key issue. Finally, after extensive computer…
Corona from Svalbard
During a total solar eclipse, the Sun's extensive outer atmosphere, or corona, is an inspirational sight. Streamers and shimmering features that engage the eye span a brightness…
A Flag Shaped Aurora over Sweden
It appeared, momentarily, like a 50-km tall banded flag. In mid-March, an energetic Coronal Mass Ejection directed toward a clear magnetic channel to Earth led to one of the more…
Shadow of a Martian Robot
What if you saw your shadow on Mars and it wasn't human ? Then you might be the Opportunity rover currently exploring Mars. Opportunity has been exploring the red planet since…
Diamond Rings and Baily's Beads
Near the March 20 equinox the cold clear sky over Longyearbyen, Norway, planet Earth held an engaging sight, a total eclipse of the Sun . The New Moon's silhouette at stages just…
NGC 2403 in Camelopardalis
Magnificent island universe NGC 2403 stands within the boundaries of the long-necked constellation Camelopardalis . Some 10 million light-years distant and about 50,000…
Viewing discoveries from 19 April 2015 through 27 March 2015.