Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Sun Mar 19 2023 00:36:12

                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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 March 19
    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: Robert Fedez

   Explanation: To see the feathered serpent descend the Mayan pyramid
   requires exquisite timing. You must visit El Castillo -- in Mexico's
   Yucat+ín Peninsula -- near an equinox. Then, during the late afternoon
   if the sky is clear, the pyramid's own shadows create triangles that
   merge into the famous illusion of a slithering viper. Also known as the
   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, the
   structure can be used as a calendar and is noted for astronomical
   alignments. The featured composite image was captured in 2019 with
   Jupiter and Saturn straddling the diagonal central band of our Milky
   Way galaxy. Tomorrow marks another equinox -- not only at Temple of
   Kukulc+ín, but all over planet Earth.

                   Tomorrow's picture: expanding supernova
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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