Astronomy Picture of the Day · February 20, 2005

Oklo: Ancient African Nuclear Reactors

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 20, 2005 is “Oklo: Ancient African Nuclear Reactors,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Credit & Copyright: Robert D. Loss , CEMS). The original explanation runs about 98 words.

From the explanation

“The remnants of nuclear reactors nearly two billion years old were found in the 1970s in Africa. These reactors are thought to have occurred naturally.”

— APOD editors, February 20, 2005

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: February 20, 2005
Type: Image
Credit: Credit & Copyright: Robert D. Loss , CEMS
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 98 words

All of February 2005 → · 2005 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

On this day: February 20 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, February 20, 2005 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2005-february-20-oklo-ancient-african-nuclear-reactors

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.