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.

                              2024 September 8
    [2]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: [3]Subaru ([4]NAOJ), [5]Hubble ([6]NASA/[7]ESA),
                             [8]Mayall ([9]NSF);
           Processing & Copyright: [10]R. Gendler & [11]R. Croman

   Explanation: The most distant object easily visible to the unaided eye
   is [12]M31, the great [13]Andromeda Galaxy. Even at some two and a half
   million [14]light-years distant, this immense spiral galaxy -- spanning
   [15]over 200,000 light years -- is visible, although as a faint,
   nebulous cloud in the [16]constellation Andromeda. A bright yellow
   nucleus, dark winding [17]dust lanes, and expansive spiral arms dotted
   with [18]blue star clusters and [19]red nebulae, are recorded in
   [20]this stunning telescopic image which combines data from
   [21]orbiting Hubble with ground-based images from [22]Subaru and
   [23]Mayall. In only about 5 billion years, the Andromeda galaxy may be
   even [24]easier to see -- as it will likely span the entire night sky
   -- just before it [25]merges with, or [26]passes right by, our
   [27]Milky Way Galaxy.

       Teachers & Students: [28]Ideas for using APOD in the classroom
                  Tomorrow's picture: dark moon, red planet
     __________________________________________________________________

      [29]< | [30]Archive | [31]Submissions | [32]Index | [33]Search |
   [34]Calendar | [35]RSS | [36]Education | [37]About APOD | [38]Discuss |
                                    [39]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [40]Robert Nemiroff ([41]MTU) & [42]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([43]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [44]Specific rights apply.
            [45]NASA Web Privacy, [46]Accessibility, [47]Notices;
                A service of: [48]ASD at [49]NASA / [50]GSFC,
                         [51]NASA Science Activation
                           & [52]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2409/M31_HstSubaruGendler_5000.jpg
   3. https://www.naoj.org/en/about/
   4. http://www.naoj.org/
   5. http://hla.stsci.edu/hla_welcome.html
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/
   7. https://www.esa.int/
   8. https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/kitt-peak-national-observatory/nicholas-mayall-4m-telescope/
   9. https://www.nsf.gov/
  10. http://robgendlerastropics.com/Biography2.html
  11. https://www.rc-astro.com/about.html
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_Galaxy
  13. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubble-messier-catalog/messier-31/
  14. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/en/
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061228.html
  16. http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/and/index.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220117.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap211124.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210214.html
  20. http://www.robgendlerastropics.com/M31-HST-Subaru-NOAO-RC.html
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/overview/about-hubble/
  22. https://subarutelescope.org/en/
  23. https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/kitt-peak-national-observatory/nicholas-mayall-4m-telescope/
  24. https://wallpaperaccess.com/full/621501.jpg
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220606.html
  26. https://www.science.org/content/article/milky-way-may-escape-fated-collision-andromeda-galaxy
  27. https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/milkyway1.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apodclass.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240907.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  35. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  38. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240908
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240909.html
  40. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  41. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  42. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  43. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  44. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  46. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  47. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  48. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  49. https://www.nasa.gov/
  50. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  51. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  52. http://www.mtu.edu/