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.

                                2026 March 29
       [2]A highly pixelated image is shown with multiple colors on a
     pixelated black background. Several identifiable icons are included
   like a human and a telescope disk. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                            A Message from Earth
        Image Credit: [3]Frank Drake et al., [4]Arecibo Observatory;
                  [5]License: [6]Arne Nordmann (Wikimedia)

   Explanation: What are these Earthlings trying to tell us? The featured
   message was broadcast from [7]Earth towards the globular star cluster
   [8]M13 in 1974. During the dedication of an upgrade to the [9]Arecibo
   [10]Observatory - then the largest single radio telescope in the world
   - a string of 1's and 0's representing the diagram was sent. [11]This
   attempt at [12]extraterrestrial communication was mostly ceremonial -
   humanity regularly broadcasts radio and television signals out into
   space accidentally. Even were [13]this message received, M13 is so far
   away we would [14]have to wait almost 50,000 years to hear an answer.
   The [15]featured message gives a few simple facts about humanity and
   its knowledge: from left to right are numbers from one to ten, atoms
   including [16]hydrogen and [17]carbon, some interesting molecules,
   [18]DNA, a human with description, basics of our [19]Solar System, and
   basics of the sending telescope. Several [20]searches for
   extraterrestrial intelligence are currently underway.

               Explore the Universe: [21]Random APOD Generator
                      Tomorrow's picture: ocean galaxy
     __________________________________________________________________

      [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search |
   [27]Calendar | [28]RSS | [29]Education | [30]About APOD | [31]Discuss |
                                    [32]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([36]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply.
            [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices;
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/Message_Arecibo_2000.jpg
   3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Drake
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_Observatory
   5. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
   6. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arecibo_message.svg
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250814.html
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_Telescope
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201209.html
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090712.html
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qQRQyEodsE
  14. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e8/c6/86/e8c686cf79b830a7663432989d423ace.jpg
  15. https://www.seti.org/research/seti-101/project-phoenix/arecibo/
  16. https://periodic.lanl.gov/1.shtml
  17. https://periodic.lanl.gov/6.shtml
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120821.html
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligence
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/random_apod.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260328.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  28. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260329
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260330.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/