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.
2010 August 27

Brighter Than Mars

Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)
Explanation: Even though you may have just read an email claiming Mars will be incredibly
bright tonight, the brightest star on the horizon is not Mars. From central Iran on August 24th,
the brightest star in this twilight desert skyview is Venus, aka the Evening Star. But a bright
Mars is in the picture, just above and right of more brilliant Venus. Despite claims in the
internet's annually returning Mars Hoax that Mars will be as big and bright as the Full Moon,
this celestial scenario is very similar to the western sky you can see tonight. Along with Mars,
the still beautiful vista includes Spica, alpha star of the constellation Virgo, above and left of
Venus. Farther right of Venus, Saturn peeks through the sunset's fading glow just above the
clouds. Near the opposite horizon, the Full Moon illuminating the desert is about 400,000 times
brighter than Mars.
Tomorrow's picture: negative space

< | Archive | Index | Search | Calendar | RSS | Education | About APOD | Discuss | >

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.