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.

                              2023 February 16
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                        The Hydra Cluster of Galaxies
     Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Marco Lorenzi, Angus Lau, Tommy Tse
             Text: [5]ChatGPT (apologies to [6]Edgar Allen Poe)

                                Explanation:

        Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
                O'er volumes of astronomy and forgotten lore,
             I stumbled [7]upon this snapshot, cosmic and eerie,
               A sight that filled my heart with awe and more.

             Two stars, like sentinels, anchored the foreground,
                 Of our Milky Way galaxy, a sight to behold,
              Beyond them, a cluster of Hydra, galaxies abound,
            100 million light-years away, [8]a story to be told.

            Three large galaxies, ellipticals and a spiral blue,
             Dominant and grand, each 150,000 light-years wide,
            But it was the overlapping pair that caught my view,
                Cataloged as NGC 3314, a sight I cannot hide.

               Abell 1060, the [9]Hydra galaxy cluster's name,
         One of three large galaxy clusters close to our Milky Way,
               A universe bound by gravity, a celestial game,
           Where clusters align over larger scales, I cannot sway.

       At a distance of 100 million light-years, this snapshot's size,
              1.3 million light-years across, a cosmic delight,
             A momentary glimpse into [10]the universe's guise,
            But even this shall fade, and be nevermore in sight.

                    Tomorrow's picture: formerly 2023 CX1
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [22]Robert Nemiroff ([23]MTU) & [24]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([25]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [26]Specific rights apply.
              [27]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [28]ASD at [29]NASA / [30]GSFC,
                         [31]NASA Science Activation
                           & [32]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2302/ABELL1060_LRGB_NASA.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.glitteringlights.com/
   5. https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/
   6. https://www.poets.org/poet/edgar-allan-poe
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120512.html
   8. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2023/nasas-curious-universe-podcast-returns-for-season-five/
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydra_Cluster
  10. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2023/nasa-s-webb-uncovers-new-details-in-pandora-s-cluster
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230215.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  15. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  20. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230216
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230217.html
  22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  25. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  28. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  31. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  32. http://www.mtu.edu/