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.

                                2026 March 15
    [2]A grand Mayan Pyramids is shown below a starry sky highlighted by
    the band of the Milky Way and the planets Saturn and Jupiter. Please
             see the explanation for more detailed information.

               Equinox at the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Robert Fedez

   Explanation: To see the feathered serpent [4]descend the Mayan pyramid
   requires exquisite timing. You must visit [5]El Castillo -- in
   [6]Mexico's [7]Yucatán Peninsula -- near an [8]equinox. Then, during
   the late afternoon if the sky is clear, [9]the pyramid's own
   [10]shadows create triangles that merge into the famous illusion of a
   [11]slithering viper. Also known as the [12]Temple of Kukulkan, the
   impressive step-pyramid stands 30 meters tall and 55 meters wide at the
   base. Built up as a series of square terraces by the pre-Columbian
   civilization between the 9th and 12th century, [13]the structure can be
   used as a calendar and is noted for [14]astronomical alignments. The
   [15]featured composite image was captured in 2019 with [16]Jupiter and
   Saturn straddling the diagonal central band of our [17]Milky Way
   galaxy. In a few days another [18]equinox will occur -- not only at
   Temple of Kukulcán, but [19]all over planet Earth.

                     Tomorrow's picture: dancing galaxy
     __________________________________________________________________

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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([34]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [35]Specific rights apply.
            [36]NASA Web Privacy, [37]Accessibility, [38]Notices;
                A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC,
                         [42]NASA Science Activation
                           & [43]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2603/MayanMilkyWay_Fernandez_1600.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/robert_fedez/
   4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zvv9EnBuem4
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Castillo,_Chichen_Itza
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucatán_Peninsula
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190320.html
   9. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pyramid-kukulcan-chichen-itza
  10. https://youtu.be/Zvv9EnBuem4
  11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatl
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza
  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcAZkHjUS6s
  14. https://annex.exploratorium.edu/ancientobs/chichen/HTML/alignments.html
  15. https://www.instagram.com/p/DKs2JmFPxF6/
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201223.html
  17. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/exoplanets/our-milky-way-galaxy-how-big-is-space/
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260314.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  26. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  29. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260315
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260316.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  42. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  43. http://www.mtu.edu/