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. 2025 July 2 [2]A skyscape is seen above an water inlet. Two rock spires rise from the sea, and the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy is seen between them. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Milky Way Through Otago Spires Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Kavan Chay; Text: [4]Ogetay Kayali ([5]Michigan Tech U.) Explanation: Does the Milky Way always rise between these two rocks? No. Capturing this stunning alignment took careful planning: being in the right place at the right time. In the featured image taken in June 2024 from [6]Otago, [7]New Zealand, the bright [8]central core of our [9]Milky Way Galaxy, home to the many of our Galaxy's 400 billion stars, can be seen between two picturesque rocks spires. For observers in [10]Earth's [11]Northern Hemisphere, the core is only visible throughout the summer. As Earth orbits the [12]Sun, different parts of the Milky Way become visible at different angles at different times of the [13]night. As Earth rotates, the orientation of the Milky Way in the sky also shifts -- sometimes [14]standing vertically as seen in the [15]featured image, and other times [16]stretching parallel to the horizon, making it harder to see. In early June, [17]observers can watch it emerge low on the horizon after sunset and gradually arc upward to reveal its full grandeur. Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space __________________________________________________________________ [18]< | [19]Archive | [20]Submissions | [21]Index | [22]Search | [23]Calendar | [24]RSS | [25]Education | [26]About APOD | [27]Discuss | [28]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [29]Robert Nemiroff ([30]MTU) & [31]Jerry Bonnell ([32]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [33]Specific rights apply. [34]NASA Web Privacy, [35]Accessibility, [36]Notices; A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC, [40]NASA Science Activation & [41]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2507/MwSpires_Chay_1874.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/kchayphotos/ 4. https://www.ogetay.com/ 5. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/ 6. https://youtu.be/6Ps7dcKcqS8 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231201.html 9. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/the-milky-way-galaxy/ 10. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/ 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Hemisphere 12. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/ 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240228.html 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190112.html 15. https://www.instagram.com/p/C8qW2gMJcaF/ 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241105.html 17. https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2G61P84/curious-dog-funny-pug-looking-through-binoculars-up-in-the-sky-high-angle-owner-holding-a-tool-moon-reflecting-in-lenses-2G61P84.jpg 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250701.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 24. https://apod.com/feed.rss 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 27. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250702 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250703.html 29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 31. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 32. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 34. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 35. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 36. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/ 39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 41. http://www.mtu.edu/