Astronomy Picture of the Day

What Astronomy Picture of the Day actually is

Every day since June 1995, APOD has published a single astronomical image with a short caption written by a professional astronomer and links out to the underlying research. The archive now holds more than ten thousand entries, and the page design has barely shifted in thirty years.

Why it is worth your time

The captions come from working astronomers rather than press officers, so they tell you which instrument took the shot and what is genuinely odd about it.

Common questions

Is Astronomy Picture of the Day free?

Yes. Astronomy Picture of the Day is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Astronomy Picture of the Day take?

Good within five seconds of loading. We file it under "Instant" — one space image a day, explained by a working astronomer.

Does Astronomy Picture of the Day work on a phone?

Yes. Astronomy Picture of the Day works on a phone as well as it does on a laptop.

What kind of site is Astronomy Picture of the Day?

We list it under Cosmos & Scale — zoom out until you feel small. The captions come from working astronomers rather than press officers, so they tell you which instrument took the shot and what is genuinely odd about it.