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.

2022 April 20
The featured image shows four planets lined up behind the
RFK Triboro bridge in New York City. The image was taken just before sunrise two days ago. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

Planet Line over New York Bridge
Image Credit & Copyright: Stan Honda

If you wake up before the sun, you can see an interesting sky. There are four planets in a row. The planets are so bright that they can be seen from a city. The foreground of the featured image was highlighted by the RFK Bridge in New York City. The planets are left to right, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and Saturn. The planets are all in the same plane as the Sun. The ecliptic plane was created in the early days of the Solar System and includes all planets. The parade of planets will continue throughout the month of April and May and will be joined by Mercury in June.

APOD volunteer programming opportunity: Discord
Tomorrow's picture: open space < | Archive | Submissions | Index | Search | Calendar | RSS | Education | About APOD | Discuss | >

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.


Page 2

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.

2022 April 21
See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download
the highest resolution version available.

Apollo 16 Moon Panorama
Image Credit: Apollo 16, NASA; Panorama Assembly: Mike Constantine

Explanation: Fifty years ago, April 20, 1972, Apollo 16's lunar module Orion touched down on the Moon's near side in the south-central Descartes Highlands. While astronaut Ken Mattingly orbited overhead in Casper the friendly command and service module the Orion brought John Young and Charles Duke to the lunar surface. The pair would spend nearly three days on the Moon. Constructed from images (AS16-117-18814 to AS16-117-18820) taken near the end of their third and final surface excursion this panoramic view puts the lunar module in the distance toward the left. Their electric lunar roving vehicle in the foreground, Duke is operating the camera while Young aims the high gain communications antenna skyward, toward planet Earth.

Celebrate: Earth Day
Tomorrow's picture: our fair planet

< | Archive | Submissions | Index | Search | Calendar | RSS | Education | About APOD | Discuss | >

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.