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.

                              2024 September 6
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                          Ringed Ice Giant Neptune
         Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]ESA, [5]CSA, [6]STScI, [7]NIRCam

   Explanation: [8]Ringed ice giant Neptune lies near the center of this
   sharp near-infrared image from the [9]James Webb Space Telescope. The
   dim and distant world is the [10]farthest planet from the Sun, about 30
   times farther away than planet Earth. But in the stunning Webb view,
   the planet's dark and ghostly appearance is due to atmospheric methane
   that absorbs infrared light. High altitude clouds that reach above most
   of Neptune's absorbing methane easily stand out in the image though.
   Coated with frozen nitrogen, Neptune's largest moon Triton is brighter
   than Neptune in reflected sunlight, seen at the upper left sporting the
   Webb telescope's characteristic [11]diffraction spikes. Including
   Triton, seven of Neptune's 14 known moons can be [12]identified in the
   field of view. [13]Neptune's faint rings are striking in this
   space-based [14]planetary portrait. Details of the complex ring system
   are seen here for the first time since Neptune was visited by the
   [15]Voyager 2 spacecraft in August 1989.

                    Tomorrow's picture: terrorizing Mars
     __________________________________________________________________

      [16]< | [17]Archive | [18]Submissions | [19]Index | [20]Search |
   [21]Calendar | [22]RSS | [23]Education | [24]About APOD | [25]Discuss |
                                    [26]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [27]Robert Nemiroff ([28]MTU) & [29]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([30]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [31]Specific rights apply.
              [32]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [33]ASD at [34]NASA / [35]GSFC,
                         [36]NASA Science Activation
                           & [37]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2409/NeptuneTriton_webb1059.png
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://www.esa.int/
   5. https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/
   6. https://www.stsci.edu/
   7. https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/01FA0SZSEW1TZ51BHG0EGW2EZP
   8. https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2022/news-2022-046
   9. https://webbtelescope.org/
  10. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/neptune/overview/
  11. https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/01G529MX46J7AFK61GAMSHKSSN
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2209/NeptuneTriton_webb1059label.png
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rings_of_Neptune
  14. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/all-eyes-on-the-ice-giants
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140515.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240905.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  20. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  25. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240906
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240907.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  29. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  30. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  33. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  36. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  37. http://www.mtu.edu/