Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Asperitas Clouds Over New Zealand

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for August 17, 2025 is “Asperitas Clouds Over New Zealand,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Witta Priester). The original explanation runs about 157 words.

Trees and mountains line the bottom of a landscape image with blue sky visible above. The sky is otherwise dominated by a large and unusual cloud that is brown and gold and has many waves and structures. Please see the explanation for more
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Witta Priester Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“What kind of clouds are these? Although their cause is presently unknown, such unusual atmospheric structures, as menacing as they might seem, do not appear to be harbingers of meteorological doom .”

— APOD editors, August 17, 2025

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
August 17, 2025
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Witta Priester
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 157 words

All of August 2025 → · 2025 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

On this day: August 17 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

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.