Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

The Cranium Nebula from the Webb Telescope

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for March 9, 2026 is “The Cranium Nebula from the Webb Telescope,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: NASA , ESA , CSA , STScI ; Processing: J. DePasquale ( STScI ). The original explanation runs about 170 words.

The featured image shows a starfield surrounding a nebula that resembles the human brain. A blue outer oval has a bright nebulosity inside. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit: NASA , ESA , CSA , STScI ; Processing: J. DePasquale ( STScI ) Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“What’s going on inside the head of this nebula? Dubbed the Exposed Cranium Nebula for its similarity to the human brain , what created the nebula remains a mystery.”

— APOD editors, March 9, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
March 9, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: NASA , ESA , CSA , STScI ; Processing: J. DePasquale ( STScI )
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 170 words

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Topics in this entry

NebulaeJames Webb Space Telescope

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: March 9 in other years

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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.