Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
written by a professional astronomer.
2024 September 8
The featured image shows a spiral galaxy and a smaller oval galaxy in a
dark starfield. Please see the explanation for more detailed
information.
M31: The Andromeda Galaxy
Image Credit: Subaru (NAOJ), Hubble (NASA/ESA), Mayall (NSF);
Processing & Copyright: R. Gendler & R. Croman
Explanation: The most distant object easily visible to the unaided eye
is M31, the great Andromeda Galaxy. Even at some two and a half million
light-years distant, this immense spiral galaxy -- spanning over
200,000 light years -- is visible, although as a faint, nebulous cloud
in the constellation Andromeda. A bright yellow nucleus, dark winding
dust lanes, and expansive spiral arms dotted with blue star clusters
and red nebulae, are recorded in this stunning telescopic image which
combines data from orbiting Hubble with ground-based images from Subaru
and Mayall. In only about 5 billion years, the Andromeda galaxy may be
even easier to see -- as it will likely span the entire night sky --
just before it merges with, or passes right by, our Milky Way Galaxy.
Teachers & Students: Ideas for using APOD in the classroom
Tomorrow's picture: dark moon, red planet
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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
NASA Science Activation
& Michigan Tech. U.
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