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.

2023 August 27
A rocky landscape is capped by a dark night sky. In the sky, the band of our Milky Way Galaxy runs along the right, while two fuzzy patches that are the LMC and SMC are visible on the right. Thousands of stars are resolved all over the frame. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

Three Galaxies and a Comet
Credit & Copyright: Miloslav Druckmuller (Brno University of Technology)

Explanation: Diffuse starlight and dark nebulae along the southern Milky Way arc over the horizon and sprawl diagonally through this gorgeous nightscape. The breath-taking mosaic spans a wide 100 degrees, with the rugged terrain of the Patagonia, Argentina region in the foreground. Along with the insider's view of our own galaxy, the image features our outside perspective on two irregular satellite galaxies - the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The scene also captures the broad tail and bright coma of Comet McNaught, the Great Comet of 2007.

Tomorrow's picture: game stars

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