                        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.

                               2020 October 13

               Mars, Pleiades, and Andromeda over Stone Lions
                    Image Credit & Copyright: Cem Özkeser

   Explanation: Three very different -- and very famous -- objects were
   all captured in a single frame last month. On the upper left is the
   bright blue Pleiades, perhaps the most famous cluster of stars on the
   night sky. The Pleiades (M45) is about 450 light years away and easily
   found a few degrees from Orion. On the upper right is the expansive
   Andromeda Galaxy, perhaps the most famous galaxy -- external to our own
   -- on the night sky. Andromeda (M31) is one of few objects visible to
   the unaided eye where you can see light that is millions of years old.
   In the middle is bright red Mars, perhaps the most famous planet on the
   night sky. Today Mars is at opposition, meaning that it is opposite the
   Sun, with the result that it is visible all night long. In the
   foreground is an ancient tomb in the Phygrian Valley in Turkey. The
   tomb, featuring two stone lions, is an impressive remnant of a powerful
   civilization that lived thousands of years ago. Mars, currently near
   its brightest, can be easily found toward the east just after sunset.

                    Tomorrow's picture: a colorful space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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