APOD 4.8

May 18 2015
Auroras and Star Trails over Iceland

This picture appealed to me because it is complex and unique. This picture looks colorful and unique. The picture contains what looks to be rocks on a lake. There are green auroras present in the sky as well as a trail of stars in the sky. The comments underneath the picture indicate that these are auroras and star trails. The location of this picture is in Ireland. The comments state that this is one of the quietest nights for auroras, and that the photograph is actually a three hundred and sixty degree view. Four wide angle cameras were used to capture this picture. The comments end with stating that the star trails were caused by the long exposure and Earth's rotation. 

APOD 4.7

May 8 2015
When Vega is North

This picture appealed to me because it is a unique photo. The photo shows two large circles of stars and a landscape. One is for polaris today and the other is for Vega in 14000 CE. The comments underneath the picture state that within 12,000 years Vega, which is in the constellation of Lyra, will become the new North Star. Currently the North Star is Polaris, which is in the constellation of Ursa Minor, but with the shifting axis of rotation for Earth that will change. The comments continue to say that the images are simulated to show what the star field and the landscape will look like when Vega is the north star in 12,000 years. 

APOD 4.6

May 3 2015
Moonrise Through Mauna Kea's Shadow

This picture appealed to me because it is a beautiful and colorful picture. The majority of the pictures shown on APOD are dark and mysterious. It is rare to see a realistic colorful picture such as this one. The picture shows the Moon rising in what appears to be inside a volcano. The comments underneath the picture help clear this confusion up by stating that what appears to be a huge mountain is actually the shadow of a large mountain. The comments continue to state that the mountain and the photo are located in Hawaii. The location where the photo was taken is arguably the best viewing location on the planet. The comments end by stating that the refraction of the Moon's light through the Earth's atmosphere makes the Moon appear more oval-like. 

APOD 4.5

April 27 2015
Space Station over Lunar Terminator

This picture appealed to me because it is unique, interesting, and mysterious. This picture shows the space station floating above the moon. I have never seen anything like that, therefore it is unique. The picture is also very dark, thus making it mysterious yet interesting as there is a great possibility for anything to happen. The comments underneath the picture states that the space station pictured is the International Space Station. It was precisely photographed directly above the partially-lit moon. The comments continue to state that this picture was taken in Madrid, Spain. The comments end with stating about how you can find where the ISS is. 

APOD 4.4

April 20 2015
Total Solar Eclipse over Svalbard

This picture appealed to me because it is something that I hope to see one day. The picture shows a total solar eclipse in an icy area. I hope to witness the total solar eclipse that will occur in August of 2017. This solar eclipse will make a line directly across America. The comments underneath this picture state that the total solar eclipse occurred in Svalbard, Norway. The image was captured in three minute frames and then digitally merged. This gives the line of brightness that is shown at the top of the picture. The comments then go into detail describing what a total solar eclipse is, which is when the moon comes inbetween the sun and the Earth, causing a shadow to occur on certain parts of the Earth. The comments end by stating that the next total solar eclipse will be in March of 2016 in Southeast Asia. 

APOD 4.3

April 11 2015
Venus in the West

This picture appealed to me because it is something realistic. The majority of pictures posted on APOD are spectral images, or images from a satellite. Basically these are images that I myself could not obtain on my own. This is one of the few images that I would be able to obtain on my own. This picture shows a sunset that is present in the forest with Venus shining in the west. The comments underneath the picture state that in the coming days Venus will shine near the western horizon at sunset. On April 11, Venus was very close to the Pleiades star cluster which is located in the constellation of Taurus, the Bull. The comments end by stating that the branches to the left of Venus are Aldebaran and the V-shaped Hyades star cluster. 

APOD 4.2

April 5 2015
Saturn, Tethys, Rings, and Shadows

This picture appealed to me because it is simple yet mysterious. This picture contains saturn and its rings along with tethys, one of saturn's moons. The dark colors used in the picture envoke a sense of mystery as well as a sense of simplicity. The comments underneath the picture state that if we could be on Saturn's ice moon Tethys, we would be able to see amazing views of Saturn's rings. This picture is sent to us from the Cassini spacecraft. The comments state that the moon is only about 1000 km and orbits a large distance, almost five saturn-radii from the center of Saturn. This distance means it is well outside of Saturn's main bright rings. The comments end by stating that Tethys was found at the same time as Telesto and Calypso, and that Telesto precedes and Calypso follows Tethys as the trio circles Saturn.