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                           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.   
      
                                  2023 August 19   
      
                             Ringed Ice Giant Neptune   
                    Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, NIRCam   
      
      Explanation: Ringed ice giant Neptune lies near the center of this   
      sharp near-infrared image from the James Webb Space Telescope. The dim   
      and distant world is the 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 diffraction spikes. Including Triton,   
      seven of Neptune's 14 known moons can be identified in the field of   
      view. Neptune's faint rings are striking in this space-based planetary   
      portrait. Details of the complex ring system are seen here for the   
      first time since Neptune was visited by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in   
      August 1989.   
      
                          Tomorrow's picture: long cloud   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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