Planetary Picture of the Day
Week of August 19, 2024
We present a mixed bag this week, featuring NASA images and photos by astrophotographers, taking a look at Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
Monday, 19 August 2024
Endeavour during STS-113 approach to ISS during Expedition Five
This breathtaking image reminds us how beautiful science, exploration, and discovery can be. The Space Shuttle Endeavour is backdropped over the Tasman Sea and Golden Bay of New Zealand’s South Island as it approaches the International Space Station (ISS) during STS-113 rendezvous and docking operations. Docking occurred at 3:59 p.m. (CST) on November 25, 2002. The Port One (P1) truss, which was later to be attached to the station and outfitted during three spacewalks, can be seen in Endeavour’s cargo bay.
Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Mars and Jupiter
Last week, skywatchers and astrophotographers enjoyed a close conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, the closest that will occur until 2033. While appearing close together, the planets are still over 500 million kilometers apart. They are moving away from each other now, but you can still see them shining in the early morning sky above the eastern horizon. This photo was taken from Kayseri, Turkiye, on 15 August 2024.
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Mount Sharp Yardangs
Amazing panorama taken by NASA's Curiosity rover on sol 4264 (4 August 2024) with its MastCam Right camera pointing south. It shows the yardangs of Mount Sharp, structures carved by the winds during millions of years, forming steep cliffs like the one on the right. Dark dunes cover the ground, revealing patches of brighter substrate.
Thursday, 22 August 2024
Saturn's Polar Vortex
The 2000-km-wide vortex of swirling clouds circling Saturn's north pole! This image was captured in polarized light by NASA's Cassini spacecraft and has been adjusted to approximate the visible-light coloration of the area at the time.
Friday, 23 August 2024
Red Sprites and Meteors
This stunning image was captured by red sprite photographer Paul M Smith, who also layered in some of the brightest meteors seen during the peak of the Perseids meteor shower this year. The images were all taken during the same evening in the same location and stacked together to create a beautiful photograph.
