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Astronomy Picture of the Day

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Astronomy Pictures for Browsing and Homeschooling

This is an introduction for those that are not aware of the fascinating picture website called Astronomy Picture of the Day or APOD hosted by NASA. Anybody interested in the sky and stars will find it every interesting.

Looking at this site one day it suddenly occurred to me that this would be excellent for homeschooling. The younger students could view the pictures and the instructor ask age appropriated questions. Older students could read the excellent captions themselves.

The Astronomy Picture of the Day was my end of shift therapy when I worked the 4-12pm duty at the phone company. Since last April 2008, when I retired, I have not visited the cosmos site once. Last night I spent over an hour exploring the months of pictures I missed since.

Here is a collection of photos I gathered of the moon for your browsing. Enjoy these moon pictures from Astronomy Picture of the Day. All information is updated by professionals at the APOD site.

photo above credit:Apollo 11, NASA
all photos are from Astronomy Picture of the Day

Moon Over Turkey
Boat Moon and Planets
Largest Moon of 2009

Why I like APOD

Astronomy Picture of the Day has celestial oddities that are explained and always illustrated with the most spectacular photos.

The explanations given underneath are detailed to where, what and the how of the picture taken.

If you really feel the curiosity soaring, words like "remarkable conjunction", "apogee" and "ruling gas giants" are highlighted and can be clicked to definitions (and more pictures) that would satisfy the even most inquiring layman's mind.

photo credit: Wally Pacholka
Moonlight on Devil's Tower

What is New at APOD?

2/05/11

I decided to catch up on astronomy pictures and I was delighted to find new colored indexes for the site's library of pictures. Days of old the index was a long list of titles and the date.

Now you can view a monthly index with thumb nails that give a preview. Nice because the only indication that you had seen a photo was change of text color. The calendar index is at Astronomy Picture of the Day Calendar. It is done in the colors of the rainbow, a brilliant design by Momoko.

The Main Index Page of APOD is divided into Cosmos, Space Technology and other related groupings. I would like to see a grouping of plain old earth views of the skies. The photos that explain weather or star alignments that the layperson may see from terra firma or the sea.

Our Moon and Jupiters

Click on the date for NASA's big picture

This picture shows our moon along with Jupiter and the horizontal alignment of it's three moons. Jupiter and it's moons can be viewed with binoculars on a clear night.

July 14 NASA Picture

photo credit:AnneRiou

Moon Over Turkey

Click on the date for NASA's big picture

This picture made me aware of the fact that Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is 14 years old. If you wave your mouse over the photo you get the Birthday Wish.

The photos are contributions from all over the world. There is a surprising look at the earth, as well as, the cosmos on visits to APOD.

June 16 NASA Picture

photo credit:Tahir Sisman

Boat Moon and Planets

Click on the date for large version at Astronomy Picture of the Day

This one is gorgeous with pinks, lights a boat and perfect alignment in composition and celestial happening. Another visit to a place in the world.

February 26 Picture

photo credit: Mike Salway

Largest Moon of 2009

A person with just a little interest in the celestial heavens can get sidetracked into staying on this sight for longer than accepted. Each photo has an explanation written by an astronomer with highlighted terms that take you to more information about the related term.

I got a very clear explanation about the green flash that finally gave me the info on what to exactly look for.

January 13 Picture

photo credit:Vincent Jacques

Smily Face

This photo made me explain "oohh..."

Click on the date or you will not see it.

December 5 Picture

photo credit:Mike Salway

Venus and the Moon

APOD gives us a good arrangement this day.

December 4 Picture

photo credit:Johannes Schedler, inset Vincent Jacques

Happy Face Over LA

This is taken from Mt. Wilson at the top of the San Gabriel Mountains over looking Pasadena, CA. Mt. Wilson is the location of the most important telescope of the beginning of the 20th century.

It is associated with Cal Tech in Pasadena. It is still in operation.

December 3

See their website Mount Wilson Observatory

Travel the World with the Moon

See the Moon at seven different places in the world

Bryce Canyon, Utah

Cape Saunion, Greece

Lisbon, Portugal

Istanbul

Pigeon Point Light House, CA

American Southwest

Paris, France

Moon photo credit:Noel Carboni

About the Skys on Amazon

Use APOD for homeschooling.

The homeschooler could use the photo explanations at this site for science studies, such as cloud formations and geography. The photos are from the world over, as well as from space.

I am glad I rediscovered this picture site and I hope it is of some interest to you too.

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