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.

2024 April 20
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Diamonds in the Sky
Image Credit & Copyright: Wright Dobbs

Explanation: When the dark shadow of the Moon raced across North America on April 8 sky watchers along the shadow's narrow central path were treated to a total solar eclipse. During the New Moon's shadow play a diamond ring glistened twice in the eclipse-darkened skies, but only for a moment. The transient celestial jewels appear immediately before and after the total eclipse phase. That's when the rays of a vanishing and then emerging siver of solar disk are just visible behind the silhouetted Moon's edge, like a shiny jewel set in a dark ring. This dramatic timelapse composite from north-central Arkansas captures both diamond ring moments of this total solar eclipse, along with the ethereal beauty of the solar corona visible during totality.

Tomorrow's picture: perijove 16


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