Astronomy Picture of the Day

Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Infobox website Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is a website provided by NASA and Michigan Technological University (MTU). Each day it features a different image of the universe accompanied by an explanation written by a professional astronomer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The photograph does not necessarily correspond to a celestial event on the exact day that it is displayed, and images are sometimes repeated.<ref name="APODFAQ">Template:Cite web</ref> These often relate to current events in astronomy and space exploration. The text has several hyperlinks to more pictures and websites for more information. The images are either visible spectrum photographs, images taken at non-visible wavelengths and displayed in false color, video footage, animations, artist's conceptions, or micrographs that relate to space or cosmology.

Past images are stored in the APOD Archive, with the first image appearing on June 16, 1995.<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> This initiative has received support from NASA, the National Science Foundation, and MTU. The images are sometimes authored by people or organizations outside NASA, and therefore APOD images are often copyrighted, unlike many other NASA image galleries.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When the APOD website was created, it received a total of 14 page views on its first day. Template:As of, the APOD website has received over a billion image views throughout its lifetime.<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> APOD is also translated into 21 languages daily.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

APOD was presented at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in 1996.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its practice of using hypertext<ref name="APODFAQ"/> was analyzed in a paper in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It received a Scientific American Sci/Tech Web Award in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2002, the website was featured in an interview with Nemiroff on CNN Saturday Morning News.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2003, the two authors published a book titled The Universe: 365 Days<ref>The Universe: 365 Days: Robert J. Nemiroff, Jerry T. Bonnell: Books</ref> from Harry N. Abrams, which is a collection of the best images from APOD as a hardcover "coffee table" style book. APOD was the Featured Collection in the November 2004 issue of D-Lib Magazine.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

During the United States federal government shutdown of 2013, APOD continued its service on mirror sites.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>APOD mirror Template:Webarchive accessdate October, 4th, 2013</ref>

Robert J. Nemiroff and Jerry T. Bonnell were awarded the 2015 Klumpke-Roberts Award by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific "for outstanding contributions to public understanding and appreciation of astronomy" for their work on APOD.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The site was awarded the International Astronomical Union's 2022 Astronomy Outreach Prize.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

As a result of the 2025 United States federal government shutdown, on October 1, 2025, the APOD website began displaying a prominent notice stating:

“Due to the lapse in federal government funding, NASA is not updating this website. We sincerely regret this inconvenience.”<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Volunteer-run APOD mirror and social media sites, such as the U.K. mirror, English language Instagram site, and Catalan Facebook page, are being updated. A list of mirror and social media sites is available on the About APOD page accessible from a link on the bottom of every APOD.

Pictures

• Blue Marble Earth (March 25, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 13, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 6, 2022<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Blue Marble Earth (March 25, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 13, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 6, 2022<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Shadow of a Martian Robot (August 3, 2004;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 4, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 29, 2008;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 8, 2011;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 29, 2015;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 17, 2019<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Shadow of a Martian Robot (August 3, 2004;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 4, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 29, 2008;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 8, 2011;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 29, 2015;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 17, 2019<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Mammatus Clouds over Saskatchewan (October 23, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 18, 2015<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Mammatus Clouds over Saskatchewan (October 23, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 18, 2015<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• M16: Pillars of Star Creation (November 6, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 19, 1997;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 12, 1998;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 2, 1999;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 24, 2000;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 25, 2001;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 26, 2003;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 24, 2005;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 18, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 28, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 22, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 24, 2016;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 6, 2020<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  M16: Pillars of Star Creation (November 6, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 19, 1997;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 12, 1998;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 2, 1999;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 24, 2000;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 25, 2001;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 26, 2003;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 24, 2005;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 18, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 28, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 22, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 24, 2016;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 6, 2020<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Valles Marineris: The Grand Canyon of Mars (July 16, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 20, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 27, 1997;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 27, 2002;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 24, 2003;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 30, 2006;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 27, 2011;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 11, 2014;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 29, 2016;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 24, 2020;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 10, 2024<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Valles Marineris: The Grand Canyon of Mars (July 16, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 20, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 27, 1997;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 27, 2002;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 24, 2003;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 30, 2006;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 27, 2011;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 11, 2014;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 29, 2016;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> May 24, 2020;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 10, 2024<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• A Roll Cloud over Uruguay (January 5, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 2, 2013;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 12, 2016<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  A Roll Cloud over Uruguay (January 5, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 2, 2013;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 12, 2016<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• The Cat's Eye Nebula (June 28, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 4, 1996;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 2, 1997;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 1, 1998;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 31, 1999;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 24, 2002;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 12, 2006;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 27, 2009;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 26, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 3, 2016<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  The Cat's Eye Nebula (June 28, 1995;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 4, 1996;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 2, 1997;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 1, 1998;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 31, 1999;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 24, 2002;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 12, 2006;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 27, 2009;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 26, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 3, 2016<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Spitzer's Trifid (January 13, 2005;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 7, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 25, 2015;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 31, 2016;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 13, 2020<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Spitzer's Trifid (January 13, 2005;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 7, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 25, 2015;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 31, 2016;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 13, 2020<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Zeta Oph: Runaway Star (December 29, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 5, 2015;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 8, 2017;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 2, 2020;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 4, 2024<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Zeta Oph: Runaway Star (December 29, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> July 5, 2015;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> April 8, 2017;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> February 2, 2020;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 4, 2024<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Two Black Holes Dancing in 3C 75 (April 12, 2006;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 9, 2008;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 14, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 28, 2014;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 22, 2017;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 5, 2022<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Two Black Holes Dancing in 3C 75 (April 12, 2006;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 9, 2008;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> March 14, 2010;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 28, 2014;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 22, 2017;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> June 5, 2022<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• The Fairy of Eagle Nebula (April 25, 2005;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 9, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 21, 2011;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 29, 2013;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 2, 2018;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 25, 2022<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  The Fairy of Eagle Nebula (April 25, 2005;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 9, 2007;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> August 21, 2011;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 29, 2013;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 2, 2018;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> September 25, 2022<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
• Barnard 68: Dark Molecular Cloud (June 23, 2009;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 29, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 14, 2014;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 8, 2017;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 22, 2020;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 29, 2023<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)
  Barnard 68: Dark Molecular Cloud (June 23, 2009;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 29, 2012;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> December 14, 2014;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> October 8, 2017;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> November 22, 2020;<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref> January 29, 2023<ref>Template:Cite APOD</ref>)

External links

• Template:Official website
• APOD Archive
• About APOD – includes a list of mirror websites
• Astronomy Picture of the Day RSS Feed – Official RSS feed
• Official list of alternative (mirror) sites for when the NASA APOD site is down
• Observatorio – Spanish official translation, with web2.0 features
• Starship Asterisk* – APOD and General Astronomy Discussion Forum
• Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) – Official Facebook Page
• Official APOD Telegram channel - Official channel in Telegram Messenger
• Astronomy Picture of the Day App – Official iOS mirror
• APOD email service
• List of APOD Mirrors and Social Sites