Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]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. 2020 March 26 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Andromeda Station Composite Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Ralf Rohner Explanation: This surreal picture isn't from a special effects sci-fi movie. It is a digital composite of frames of the [5]real Andromeda Galaxy, also known as M31, rising over a real mountain. Exposures tracking the galaxy and background stars have been digitally combined with separate exposures of the foreground terrain. All background and foreground [6]exposures were made back to back with the same camera and telephoto lens on the same night from the same location. In the "Deepscape" combination they produce a stunning image that reveals a range of brightness and color that your eye can't quite see on its own. Still, it does look like you could ride a cable car up this mountain and get off at the station right next to Andromeda. But at 2.5 million light-years from Earth the big beautiful spiral galaxy really is a little out of reach as a destination. Don't worry, though. Just wait 5 billion years and the [7]Andromeda Galaxy will come to you. This Andromeda Station is better known as Weisshorn, the highest peak of the ski area in Arosa, Switzerland. Tomorrow's picture: a little drop of galaxy __________________________________________________________________ [8]< | [9]Archive | [10]Submissions | [11]Index | [12]Search | [13]Calendar | [14]RSS | [15]Education | [16]About APOD | [17]Discuss | [18]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [19]Robert Nemiroff ([20]MTU) & [21]Jerry Bonnell ([22]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [23]Specific rights apply. [24]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [25]ASD at [26]NASA / [27]GSFC & [28]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2003/AndromedaStation.jpg 3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 4. https://ralf-rohner.pixels.com/ 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130801.html 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2003/Weisshorn_Andromeda_final.gif 7. https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2012/news-2012-20.html 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200325.html 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 12. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 17. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=200326 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200327.html 19. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 20. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 22. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 24. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 25. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 26. https://www.nasa.gov/ 27. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 28. http://www.mtu.edu/