¿ 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. 2020 October 11 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Milky Way over the Pinnacles in Australia Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Michael Goh Explanation: What strange world is this? [4]E[5]a[6]r[7]t[8]h. In the foreground of the featured image are the [9]Pinnacles, unusual rock spires in [10]Nambung National Park in Western [11]Australia. Made of ancient sea shells ([12]limestone), how these human-sized [13]picturesque spires formed remains unknown. In the background, just past the end of the central Pinnacle, is a bright crescent Moon. The eerie glow around the Moon is mostly [14]zodiacal light, sunlight reflected by dust grains orbiting between the planets in the [15]Solar System. Arching across the top is the central band of our [16]Milky Way Galaxy. Many famous [17]stars and [18]nebulas are also visible in the background night sky. The featured 29-panel panorama was taken and composed in 2015 September after detailed planning that involved the Moon, the rock spires, and their corresponding [19]shadows. Even so, the strong zodiacal light was a pleasant [20]surprise. Tomorrow's picture: asteroid descent __________________________________________________________________ [21]< | [22]Archive | [23]Submissions | [24]Index | [25]Search | [26]Calendar | [27]RSS | [28]Education | [29]About APOD | [30]Discuss | [31]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell ([35]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [36]Specific rights apply. [37]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC & [41]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2010/PinnaclesGalaxy_Goh_2400.jpg 3. https://astrophotobear.com/about/ 4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150223.html 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121017.html 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150126.html 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150412.html 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130505.html 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pinnacles_(Western_Australia) 10. https://youtu.be/7XOkWFIjz_M 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia 12. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2011-05-11-ct-x-c-fossils-in-chicagoland-buildin20110511-story.html 13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do7zg4wJfyE 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140911.html 15. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/our-solar-system/in-depth/ 16. http://www.atlasoftheuniverse.com/galaxy.html 17. http://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve/ 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120106.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150329.html 20. https://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20081130/Surprised-Kitten-986057.jpg 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201010.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 30. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=201011 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201012.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 41. http://www.mtu.edu/