                        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.

                                 2025 July 2
   A skyscape is seen above an water inlet. Two rock spires rise from the
   sea, and the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy is seen between them.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                       Milky Way Through Otago Spires
     Image Credit & Copyright: Kavan Chay; Text: Ogetay Kayali (Michigan
                                  Tech U.)

   Explanation: Does the Milky Way always rise between these two rocks?
   No. Capturing this stunning alignment took careful planning: being in
   the right place at the right time. In the featured image taken in June
   2024 from Otago, New Zealand, the bright central core of our Milky Way
   Galaxy, home to the many of our Galaxy's 400 billion stars, can be seen
   between two picturesque rocks spires. For observers in Earth's Northern
   Hemisphere, the core is only visible throughout the summer. As Earth
   orbits the Sun, different parts of the Milky Way become visible at
   different angles at different times of the night. As Earth rotates, the
   orientation of the Milky Way in the sky also shifts -- sometimes
   standing vertically as seen in the featured image, and other times
   stretching parallel to the horizon, making it harder to see. In early
   June, observers can watch it emerge low on the horizon after sunset and
   gradually arc upward to reveal its full grandeur.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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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.

