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NGC 4651: The Umbrella Galaxy

#astronomy#astrophotography#apod
It's raining stars. What appears to be a giant cosmic umbrella is now known to be a tidal stream of stars stripped from a small satellite galaxy. The main galaxy, spiral galaxy NGC 4651, is about the size of our Milky Way, while its stellar parasol appears to extend some 100 thousand light-years above this galaxy's bright disk. A small galaxy was likely torn apart by repeated encounters as it swept back and forth on eccentric orbits through NGC 4651. The remaining stars will surely fall back and become part of a combined larger galaxy over the next few million years. The featured deep image was captured in long exposures from Saudi Arabia. The Umbrella Galaxy lies about 50 million light-years distant toward the well-groomed northern constellation of Berenice's Hair (Coma Berenices). APOD in a Modern Format StellarSnap
June 30, 2025 at 5:31 AM
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📸 Major Lunar Standstill 2024–2025
A year of sunrise and Full Moon rise captured from Edmonton during a rare lunar standstill.
📅 June 20, 2025
📷 Luca Vanzella, Alister Ling
#Moonrise #FullMoon #Sunrise #Solstice #MoonOrbit #TimeLapse #Panorama #Astrophotography #APOD #StellarSnap
A tall, stacked panoramic composite showing multiple sunrises and Full Moon rises along the horizon over the cityscape of Edmonton, Alberta. The top and bottom of the image show the extremes of the Sun’s and Moon’s positions from June 2024 to June 2025. The Sun’s rising points swing north to south across the year, while the Full Moon rises in the opposite direction, spanning a wider range. The image highlights the rare effect of a major lunar standstill.
June 20, 2025 at 3:12 PM
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📸 W5: Pillars of Star Formation
Infrared view of W5 shows star birth in towering cosmic pillars shaped by stellar winds.
📅 June 23, 2025
📷 Francesco Antonucci / NASA APOD
#W5 #IC1848 #StarFormation #PillarsOfCreation #InfraredAstronomy #HeartAndSoulNebula #Cassiopeia #StellarSnap #APOD #NASA
An infrared image of a star-forming region within W5 (IC 1848), showing towering, dusty pillars against a glowing cosmic background. The pillars appear as dense, reddish-brown structures illuminated by surrounding younger stars. These pillars are slowly eroding under the influence of stellar winds and radiation. The background glows in shades of yellow, orange, and blue, highlighting the energetic activity within this part of the nebula. The scene captures a region where new stars are actively forming.
June 23, 2025 at 2:38 PM
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📸 Planetary Nebula Mz3: The Ant Nebula

📅 APOD – July 13, 2025
📷 NASA, ESA, R. Sahai (JPL) et al., Hubble Heritage Team

#APOD #NASA #Space #Astronomy #Nebula #PlanetaryNebula #AntNebula #StellarDeath #Hubble #GasClouds #Stargazing #Astrophotography #DeepSky #CelestialObjects #Cosmos #StellarSnap
A symmetrical, glowing nebula shaped like an ant stretches out in opposite directions from a bright central star. The twin lobes of the nebula are narrow, curving outward and then tapering off, creating the appearance of pincers or insect legs. The structure is reddish-orange with fine details of gas and dust, surrounded by dark space. The central region is bright and compact, highlighting the star system driving the outflow.
July 13, 2025 at 12:31 PM
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Ever seen a meteor brighter than the Moon? ☄️
This fireball lit up the sky over Cape San Blas, Florida.
Fireballs are rare meteors that leave smoky trails as they burn through Earth’s atmosphere — unforgettable if you spot one.

📷 Jason Rice
#Fireball #Meteor #Astronomy #StellarSnap
A dramatic night sky scene with a bright fireball streaking diagonally across the sky, leaving a glowing trail behind. The meteor’s light reflects slightly on the beach below, where driftwood lies scattered on the sand. Tall trees frame the sides of the image, and stars fill the background above Cape San Blas, Florida.
July 23, 2025 at 7:51 PM
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📸 NGC 2685: The Helix Galaxy

📅 APOD – July 14, 2025
📷 Credit: Stefan Thrun

#APOD #NASA #NGC2685 #PolarRingGalaxy #HelixGalaxy #UrsaMajor #Astronomy #Space #Galaxy #Hubble #Cosmos #Astrophotography #Universe #Stars #StellarSnap
A spiral galaxy with a tilted ring of stars and gas wraps around it like a twisted ribbon. The main disk of the galaxy is flat and dark, while the ring appears lighter and loops around it at an odd angle. Faint star clouds and dust lanes extend outward, set against the blackness of space.
July 14, 2025 at 2:18 PM
barretblake.dev
NASA Picture of the Day

NGC 4651: The Umbrella Galaxy
It's raining stars. What appears to be a giant cosmic umbrella is now known to be a tidal stream of stars stripped from a small satellite galaxy. The main galaxy, spiral galaxy NGC 4651, is about the size of our Milky Way, while its stellar parasol appears to extend some 100 thousand light-years above this galaxy's bright disk. A small galaxy was likely torn apart by repeated encounters as it swept back and forth on eccentric orbits through NGC 4651. The remaining stars will surely fall back and become part of a combined larger galaxy over the next few million years. The featured deep image was captured in long exposures from Saudi Arabia. The Umbrella Galaxy lies about 50 million light-years distant toward the well-groomed northern constellation of Berenice's Hair (Coma Berenices). APOD in a Modern Format StellarSnap
June 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
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Every 15 years, Saturn’s rings appear edge-on from Earth — a rare chance to see its moons transit the planet.

In this view from July 18, Titan crosses Saturn’s face, casting a dark shadow on its cloud tops.

📷 Volodymyr Andrienko

#Titan #Saturn #Astronomy #StellarSnap #Astrophotography
A telescopic image of Saturn with its rings nearly edge-on, creating a thin horizontal line across the planet. Saturn's banded atmosphere is clearly visible. At the upper left, Saturn’s largest moon Titan appears as a small pale dot, while a round, dark shadow from Titan is cast onto the gas giant’s cloud tops, just above the rings. The contrast between the planet, rings, moon, and shadow makes the scene striking and dynamic.
July 24, 2025 at 5:19 PM
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📸 NGC 6946 and NGC 6939

📅 APOD – July 4, 2025
📷 Credit: Alberto Pisabarro

#APOD #NASA #Galaxy #StarCluster #NGC6946 #NGC6939 #Astrophotography #Cosmos #DeepSky #MilkyWay #Cepheus #FireworksGalaxy #SpaceArt #Universe #NightSky #CosmicWonder #SpiralGalaxy #Stargazing #SpaceExploration #StellarSnap
A wide-field astrophotograph showing two main celestial objects. In the lower right is NGC 6939, a tight grouping of bluish stars forming an open star cluster. In the upper left is NGC 6946, a bright face-on spiral galaxy with dusty arms, tinged in subtle red and blue hues. Faint interstellar dust clouds stretch across the image, giving it a textured appearance. The entire scene is filled with tiny stars from our Milky Way in the background.
July 4, 2025 at 5:22 AM
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📸 The Veins of Heaven

📅 APOD – July 11, 2025
📷 Credit: P-M Hedén (Clear Skies, TWAN)

#APOD #NASA #NoctilucentClouds #NightShiningClouds #Atmosphere #PolarMesosphericClouds #UpperAtmosphere #Skywatching #Twilight #ClearSkies #Stargazing #Stockholm #EarthScience #Astrophotography #StellarSnap
A vivid display of noctilucent clouds stretches across the twilight sky, glowing with silvery-blue hues. Below, the still waters of Vallentuna Lake in Sweden reflect the shimmering clouds, doubling the ethereal scene. The horizon is dark, with hints of orange from the setting sun, while wispy, high-altitude ice clouds appear illuminated against the deepening sky. Trees frame the edges of the lake, adding a sense of scale and calm to this atmospheric spectacle.
July 11, 2025 at 9:11 AM
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A ghostly nebula stretches toward the Andromeda Galaxy.

Discovered in 2022, these faint blue arcs aren’t distant, they’re part of our Milky Way. Called SDSO 1, they mark a new class of fading planetary nebulas.

📷 Patrick Ogle et al.

#SDSO1 #GhostNebula #Andromeda #StellarSnap
A widefield astrophotograph showing the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) on the left and faint blue arcs stretching toward the right. The arcs, part of a structure called SDSO 1, are ghostly and curved, resembling wispy loops or filaments. A red hydrogen trail subtly frames the scene. Countless stars fill the background, creating a rich galactic field.
August 4, 2025 at 6:39 PM
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A star like our Sun died—but it didn’t go quietly. 🌌
NGC 6072, a complex planetary nebula, formed through multiple violent outbursts in a multi-star system. Webb's infrared eyes reveal its chaotic beauty in detail.

📷 NASA / ESA / CSA / JWST

#NGC6072 #JWST #PlanetaryNebula #StellarSnap
A richly detailed infrared image of planetary nebula NGC 6072, taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. Glowing red gas forms an intricate, layered structure with arcs, filaments, and overlapping loops. The central region appears brighter, with complex textures and hints of symmetry distorted by past stellar outflows. The reddish hue indicates cool hydrogen gas, while subtle variations in brightness reveal the nebula’s depth and density.
August 5, 2025 at 10:12 PM
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📸 A Beautiful Trifid

📅 APOD – July 9, 2025
📷 Credit: Alessandro Cipolat Bares

#APOD #TrifidNebula #M20 #Nebula #Astronomy #Space #Astrophotography #Cosmos #Stars #ReflectionNebula #EmissionNebula #DarkNebula #StarFormation #Sagittarius #DeepSky #NightSky #StellarNursery #Hubble #StellarSnap
A deep-space image of the Trifid Nebula (M20), a vibrant and complex star-forming region. The nebula shows bright red emission areas, blue reflection zones, and dark dust lanes. The red region is roughly divided into three parts by dark clouds, giving the nebula its “trifid” name. Above and to the right, sculpted pillars and jets shaped by young stars are visible. The entire nebula spans about the size of a full moon in Earth’s sky and is surrounded by faint stars against the backdrop of the Milky Way.
July 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
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⭐️Love a space photo? Save it forever.
stellarsnap.space lets you browse NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day and mark your favorites. No login, no clutter — just space.

#APOD #NASA #Space #Astronomy #StellarSnap #Astrophotography #Universe
StellarSnap – Daily Space Images
Explore NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day. Save your favorites, learn with the glossary, and discover space — one day at a time.
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May 13, 2025 at 3:22 PM
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📸 The Rosette Nebula from DECam

📅 APOD – July 16, 2025
📷 Credit: CTIO, NOIRLab, DOE, NSF, AURA

#APOD #NASA #RosetteNebula #NGC2237 #DECam #Astrophotography #Nebula #EmissionNebula #SpaceArt #Astronomy #Stars #Monoceros #Telescope #StellarNursery #OpenCluster #CosmicBloom #Cosmos #StellarSnap
A vibrant wide-field astrophotograph of the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237), appearing like a cosmic flower. The nebula glows with deep reds and pinks, surrounded by filaments of dust and gas. In its center lies a star cluster, NGC 2244, whose young blue-white stars illuminate the nebula. The entire structure is framed by the dark backdrop of space, with scattered stars dotting the field.
July 16, 2025 at 8:01 PM
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Want to explore the unknown?

StellarSnap now includes a Random APOD button. Instantly jump to a surprise image from NASA’s vast archive of Astronomy Pictures of the Day.

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#APOD #NASA #Astronomy #Space #StellarSnap
StellarSnap — Discover Space, Stars, and Beyond
Discover breathtaking space images, astronomy insights, and daily cosmic stories curated for space enthusiasts.
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May 26, 2025 at 3:55 PM
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📸 ISS Meets Saturn
📅 July 18, 2025
📷 Credit: A.J. Smadi

#ISS #Saturn #ISSSaturn #InternationalSpaceStation #RingedPlanet #GasGiant #NASA #APOD #AstronomyPictureOfTheDay #Skywatching #Astrophotography #NightSky #StellarSnap
A stacked telescopic image showing the International Space Station as a bright streak passing close to Saturn in the night sky. Saturn appears small but clear, with its rings nearly edge-on. The ISS looks larger and brighter due to its proximity to Earth. Both objects are framed against a dark background. The image captures their brief alignment as seen from Federal Way, Washington, on July 6, 2025.
July 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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A star exploded 50 million years ago. We just saw it. 💥
Supernova 2025rbs, a Type Ia in galaxy NGC 7331, was detected on July 14 and is now the brightest supernova in Earth's sky. It likely came from a white dwarf’s thermonuclear blast.

📷 Ben Godson

#Supernova2025rbs #NGC7331 #StellarSnap
A bright, star-filled image showing the spiral galaxy NGC 7331, tilted slightly and glowing with soft blue light. Near its dusty lanes and spiral arms, a bright white dot marks the supernova 2025rbs. The foreground is dotted with faint stars from our own Milky Way.
July 31, 2025 at 6:40 PM
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📸 Between Scylla and Charybdis
Amateur astronomers discovered a faint supernova remnant in Cepheus, named Scylla, glowing red and blue. Nearby, they also found a new planetary nebula candidate, now called Charybdis. A rare double discovery.
June 9, 2025
📷 NASA APOD
#StellarSnap #APOD #DeepSky #NASA
A deep-sky image showing a faint red arc near the center, representing the supernova remnant Scylla. Wisps of blue, indicating oxygen emission, mix with the red hydrogen glow across the background. In the upper right, a dim, round bluish feature marks the newly identified planetary nebula candidate, Charybdis. Numerous stars of varying brightness are scattered throughout the dark field, providing context and scale.
June 9, 2025 at 3:39 PM
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📸 Messier 109
📅 June 27, 2025
📷 Robert Eder

#Messier109 #M109 #NGC3992 #BarredSpiralGalaxy #UrsaMajor #BigDipper #SatelliteGalaxies #DeepSky #GalaxyCluster #Astrophotography #StellarSnap #NightSky #TelescopeView #Cosmos #WideFieldAstro #Astronomy #APOD #Galaxies #SkyWatch #SpaceLovers #Universe
A high-resolution telescopic image of Messier 109, a barred spiral galaxy seen face-on with a distinct central bar and tightly wound spiral arms. The galaxy glows with a soft bluish hue and appears near the lower center of the frame. Bright foreground stars with diffraction spikes dot the scene. In the upper right, the glare from the nearby bright star Phecda is visible. Three smaller, faint bluish galaxies — UGC 6969, UGC 6940, and UGC 6923 — appear scattered around the frame and may be satellite galaxies of M109.
June 27, 2025 at 9:34 AM
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📸 Savudrija Star Trails
Savudrija lighthouse shines on the Adriatic coast while Polaris, the North Star, anchors stunning star trails above. 400 stacked exposures reveal Earth’s spin in this cosmic scene.
📅 June 5, 2025
📷 Branko Nadj / NASA APOD

#APOD #Astrophotography #StarTrails #StellarSnap
Long-exposure night photograph of Savudrija lighthouse on the Adriatic coast, with circular star trails filling the sky. The lighthouse stands illuminated near the bottom left, while the stars form concentric arcs centered around Polaris near the top center of the image. The trails create a sense of rotation, emphasizing Earth's movement. The image has a serene and mesmerizing quality, blending coastal architecture with cosmic motion.
June 5, 2025 at 1:34 PM
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Can a supernova explode twice? 💥
In SNR 0509-67.5, a white dwarf's surface ignites first, then triggers a second explosion deeper inside.

This remnant, captured by the Very Large Telescope, shows two shells that support the theory.

📷 ESO / NASA / Hubble
#Supernova #SNR0509 #Astronomy #StellarSnap
A bright, circular supernova remnant set against a dark background filled with stars. The structure has a glowing, irregular shell with wisps and filaments in shades of red and orange, indicating expanding gas. The remnant is nearly symmetric, suggesting a powerful explosion at its center. Faint background stars from a Hubble image are visible beyond the nebula, adding depth to the cosmic scene.
July 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
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📸 The Pleiades in Red and Blue
📅 APOD – July 8, 2025
📷 Credit: Ogetay Kayali

#APOD #NASA #Pleiades #SevenSisters #M45 #StarCluster #Astrophotography #DeepSky #BlueNebula #HydrogenGlow #SpacePhoto #Cosmos #Starscape #Nebulae #StellarSnap #Universe #NightSky #TexasSky #LongExposure
A wide-field astrophotograph of the Pleiades star cluster (M45) shows brilliant blue stars surrounded by glowing blue nebulosity. Wisps of dust appear to stretch like mist around the cluster. A soft red glow from hydrogen gas surrounds the outer edges, creating a vivid contrast against the dark backdrop of space.
July 8, 2025 at 7:17 AM
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Show HN: StellarSnap – Explore NASA APODs, simulate orbits, learn astronomy

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June 16, 2025 at 12:00 AM
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Show HN: StellarSnap – Explore NASA APODs, simulate orbits, learn astronomy
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June 16, 2025 at 3:03 AM