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.

                              2025 December 16
    [2]A dark landscape is back lit by a thunderstorm in the distance. A
   lone tree is visible near the center. Above the tree are two sky icons:
    the Andromeda Galaxy on the left and bright red sprites on the right.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                    Andromeda and Sprites over Australia
                     Image Credit & Copyright: [3]JJ Rao

   Explanation: What’s happening over that tree? Two very different
   things. On the left is the [4]Andromeda galaxy, an object that is older
   than [5]humanity and will [6]last billions of years into the future.
   Andromeda ([7]M31) is similar in size and shape to our own [8]Milky Way
   Galaxy. On the right is a red [9]sprite, a type of [10]lightning that
   lasts a fraction of a second and occurs above [11]violent
   thunderstorms. [12]Red sprites were [13]verified as [14]real
   atmospheric phenomena only about 35 years ago. The tree in the center
   is a [15]boab, which may live for as long as a thousand years. Boab
   trees grow naturally in [16]Australia and [17]Africa and are known for
   being able to store large amounts of water: up to 100,000 liters. The
   [18]featured image was captured last month near [19]Derby in
   [20]Western Australia.

                       Tomorrow's picture: Soul Queen
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([35]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [36]Specific rights apply.
            [37]NASA Web Privacy, [38]Accessibility, [39]Notices;
                A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC,
                         [43]NASA Science Activation
                           & [44]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2512/AndromedaSprites_Rao_2000.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/nature.by.jj
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_Galaxy
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_human_evolution
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220606.html
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubble-messier-catalog/messier-31/
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/the-milky-way-galaxy/
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210104.html
  10. https://www.lightningmaps.org/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170226.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231002.html
  13. https://media.tenor.com/ogsH7Ailje8AAAAe/cat-funny-cat.png
  14. https://www.nasa.gov/general/spritacular-nasas-new-citizen-science-project-to-capture-elusive-upper-atmospheric-electrical-phenomena-on-camera/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia_gregorii
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa
  18. https://www.instagram.com/p/DPvsritieGH/
  19. https://youtu.be/XTjuah-w1Og
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Australia
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251215.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.com/feed.rss
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  30. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=251216
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251217.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://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  43. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  44. http://www.mtu.edu/