hodoi: APOD's Terrestrial Images

Do you know APOD?

Well, you should. It’s an example of the breathtaking benefits of the Internet, a labor of love that has been running for many years and continues to give us incredible views of our universe. Every day, every day, “. . . a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.” Many of the images are from the Hubble Telescope but many others are from observatories and individuals around the world.

Personally, the pictures that strike me most deeply and cause me to catch my breath are those on a cosmological scale – galaxies, galaxy clusters, superclusters, pillars of star creation, etc. But APOD is replete with images that include the earth or near-earth. These are also extremely affecting in a different way.

For you who have never visited this wonderful site, go now, go see, go marvel. Go to

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/

In the meantime, here are a few images selected almost at random from the many terrestrial images.

RECOMMENDED: As you probably know, clicking on the picture will produce a larger image. And, clicking on the title (e.g., "Castle and Meteor by Moonlight" just below) will take you to the APOD page with an even larger image plus descriptive information.

2011 August 13: Castle and Meteor by Moonlight

a medieval castle near Veszprem, Hungary

Jupiter near center, Pleiades to left; can you spot the meteor?