Astronomy Picture of the Day

[InfiniteNow]

Each day, a new pic with a well-informed description below. Description itself also has links to further explain various topics. Pretty cool site I've enjoyed for years. Hope you do too.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

[InfiniteNow]

Whoa... today's is very nice.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060407.html

Explanation: During a total solar eclipse, the Sun's extensive outer atmosphere or corona is an awesome and inspirational sight. The subtle shades and shimmering features of the corona that engage the eye span a brightness range of over 10,000 to 1, making them notoriously difficult to capture in a single picture. But this composite of 33 digital images ranging in exposure time from 1/8000 to 1/5 second comes very close to revealing the crown of the Sun in all its glory. The telescopic views were recorded from Side, Turkey during the March 29 solar eclipse, a geocentric celestial event that was widely seen under nearly ideal conditions. The composite also captures a pinkish prominence extending just beyond the upper edge of the eclipsed sun.

[InfiniteNow]

Wow... today, too has an amazing picture related to the sun, but this time a solar flare.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060502.html

[Racoon]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

Wow... today, too has an amazing picture related to the sun, but this time a solar flare.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060502.html

Cool Thread Dude!
That Solar Flare looks hot enough to roast Marshmallows.

[JackOfTraDeZ]

Download today's (5/8/06) descent video from the Titan landing. It is awesome!

[InfiniteNow]

APOD: 2006 December 17 - A Force from Empty Space: The Casimir Effect

Explanation: This tiny ball provides evidence that the universe will expand forever. Measuring slightly over one tenth of a millimeter, the ball moves toward a smooth plate in response to energy fluctuations in the vacuum of empty space. The attraction is known as the Casimir Effect, named for its discoverer, who, 50 years ago, was trying to understand why fluids like mayonnaise move so slowly. Today, evidence is accumulating that most of the energy density in the universe is in an unknown form dubbed dark energy. The form and genesis of dark energy is almost completely unknown, but postulated as related to vacuum fluctuations similar to the Casimir Effect but generated somehow by space itself. This vast and mysterious dark energy appears to gravitationally repel all matter and hence will likely cause the universe to expand forever. Understanding vacuum fluctuations is on the forefront of research not only to better understand our universe but also for stopping micro-mechanical machine parts from sticking together.

[InfiniteNow]

APOD: 2009 June 21 - Sunrise over the Parthenon


Sunrise over the Parthenon
Credit: Anthony Ayiomamitis (TWAN)

Explanation: Today, the sun will stay in the sky longer than any other day of the year, as seen from the northern hemisphere of Earth. Named the Summer Solstice, today's maximum daylight is indicative of the high amount of sunlight this time of year that is primarily responsible for the heat of the summer season. At the north pole and for all places above the arctic circle, there will be no night -- the entire day today will be lit by sunlight. The situation is reversed in Earth's southern hemisphere, where today has the least sunlight of any day. Today's solstice is commemorated above by a well-planned picture of our five billion year old Sun rising behind the 2,500 year old Parthenon in Greece. Trees and birds occupy the foreground, while a modern crane is shown restoring parts of this historic symbol of a cultural civilization.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Originally Posted by InfiniteNow

Explanation: Today, the sun will stay in the sky longer than any other day of the year, as seen from the northern hemisphere of Earth. Named the Summer Solstice, today's maximum daylight is indicative of the high amount of sunlight this time of year that is primarily responsible for the heat of the summer season. At the north pole and for all places above the arctic circle, there will be no night -- the entire day today will be lit by sunlight. The situation is reversed in Earth's southern hemisphere, where today has the least sunlight of any day. Today's solstice is commemorated above by a well-planned picture of our five billion year old Sun rising behind the 2,500 year old Parthenon in Greece. Trees and birds occupy the foreground, while a modern crane is shown restoring parts of this historic symbol of a cultural civilization.

It's also significant because Greece just opened the new Acropolis Museum (yesterday)!

[Cedars]

The kid couldnt sleep one night and spent time roaming APotD. She came to the conclusion some days, theres not much to post so they kinda wing it. Heres just a few that she showed me.

Color of the universe:
APOD: 2009 November 1

Big Dipper:
APOD: 2009 July 13

Now most of these have some reference to space in them. But sometimes not much. One line of the paragraph. And then she found this. Its a must watch video:

APOD: 2008 July 22

[REASON]

Originally Posted by Cedars

Now most of these have some reference to space in them. But sometimes not much. One line of the paragraph. And then she found this. Its a must watch video:

APOD: 2008 July 22

I specifically remember that one because it was the picture of the day on my birthday.

I was very happy about that.