                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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.

                               2022 October 23

           Milky Way and Zodiacal Light over Australian Pinnacles
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Jingyi Zhang

   Explanation: What strange world is this? Earth. In the foreground of
   the featured image are the Pinnacles, unusual rock spires in Nambung
   National Park in Western Australia. Made of ancient sea shells
   (limestone), how these human-sized picturesque spires formed remains a
   topic of research. The picturesque panorama was taken in 2017
   September. A ray of zodiacal light, sunlight reflected by dust grains
   orbiting between the planets in the Solar System, rises from the
   horizon near the image center. Arching across the top is the central
   band of our Milky Way Galaxy. The planets Jupiter and Saturn, as well
   as several famous stars are also visible in the background night sky.

                      Tomorrow's picture: red andromeda
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

