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.

                              2026 September 19
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                              A Zodiacal Night
      Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Neelam and Ajay Talwar ([5]TWAN)

   Explanation: [6]Also known as the false dawn, a luminous band of
   zodiacal light is captured in this dark night skyscape. The serene view
   was recorded just before the beginning of astronomical [7]twilight
   during September's star party at the remote Hanle Dark Sky Reserve,
   Ladakh, India, planet Earth. At about 4,500 meters altitude, the dark
   sky reserve [8]presents a haven for hardy stargazing and
   astrophotography enthusiasts. While meteors streak through the night,
   bright planet Jupiter appears immersed in the faint zodiacal glow near
   the eastern horizon. [9]Follow the zodiacal band toward the zenith to
   find open star cluster M44 and a yellowish tinged planet Mars near the
   center of the frame. In fact, [10]serendipitous detections of
   interplanetary dust by NASA's Juno spacecraft suggest Mars itself is
   the source of dust that back scatters sunlight and creates [11]zodiacal
   light in planet Earth's night.

       APOD's main NASA site is [12]moving: From [13]apod.nasa.gov to
                          [14]science.nasa.gov/apod
                     Tomorrow's picture: only sunny days
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      Authors & editors: [26]Robert Nemiroff ([27]MTU) & Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([28]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [29]Specific rights apply.
            [30]NASA Web Privacy, [31]Accessibility, [32]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/2609/2026-09-09ZodiacalLightHSP.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. http://ajaytalwar.com/
   5. http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/index.asp
   6. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-zodiacal-light-or-false-dusk
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight
   8. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20250829-the-himalayan-village-where-you-can-see-the-cosmos
   9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2609/2026-09-09ZodiacalLightHSPannotated1024.jpg
  10. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020JE006509
  11. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/serendipitous-juno-spacecraft-detections-shatter-ideas-about-origin-of-zodiacal-light
  12. https://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?t=45023
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/apod
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260918.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  19. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  21. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  24. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260919
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260920.html
  26. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  27. https://www.mtu.edu/physics
  28. https://www.astro.umd.edu/
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  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/