                        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.

                                2026 March 29
    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: Frank Drake et al., Arecibo Observatory;
                     License: Arne Nordmann (Wikimedia)

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

                 Explore the Universe: Random APOD Generator
                      Tomorrow's picture: ocean galaxy
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                  NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

