¿ Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]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. 2021 May 11 [2]A picture of Uluru rock in Australia in front of lightning and the constellation of Orion. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Lightning and Orion Beyond Uluru Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Park Liu Explanation: What's happening behind Uluru? A [4]United Nations World Heritage Site, [5]Uluru is an extraordinary 350-meter high mountain in central [6]Australia that rises sharply from nearly flat surroundings. Composed of [7]sandstone, Uluru has [8]slowly formed over the past 300 million years as softer rock eroded away. In the background of the featured image taken in mid-May, a raging thunderstorm is visible. Far behind both [9]Uluru and the [10]thunderstorm is a [11]star-filled sky highlighted by the constellation of Orion. The [12]Uluru region has been a [13]home to humans for [14]over 22,000 years. [15]Local [16]indigenous people have long noted that when the [17]stars that compose the [18]modern constellation of Orion first appear in the night sky, a [19]hot season involving [20]lightning storms will soon be arriving. Tomorrow's picture: star spasms __________________________________________________________________ [21]< | [22]Archive | [23]Submissions | [24]Index | [25]Search | [26]Calendar | [27]RSS | [28]Education | [29]About APOD | [30]Discuss | [31]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell ([35]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [36]Specific rights apply. [37]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC & [41]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2105/UluruOrion_Liu_5000.jpg 3. mailto:%20parkliuau%20@at@%20gmail%20.dot.%20com 4. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uluru 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkose 8. https://parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru/discover/nature/geology/ 9. https://youtu.be/xUADPqYbnvI 10. https://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/30oct_lightning.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191015.html 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150730.html 13. https://ulurutoursaustralia.com.au/blog/the-significance-of-uluru-to-australian-indigenous-culture/ 14. https://northernterritory.com/uluru-and-surrounds/destinations/kata-tjuta-the-olgas 15. https://parksaustralia.gov.au/uluru/discover/history/mutitjulu-community/ 16. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/profile-of-indigenous-australians 17. https://www.nasa.gov/subject/6892/stars/ 18. https://www.wired.com/2011/03/meet-the-constellations-orion/ 19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australian_seasons 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170716.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210510.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 30. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=210511 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210512.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 41. http://www.mtu.edu/