Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Trifid Pillars and Jets

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 3, 2026 is “Trifid Pillars and Jets,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: NASA , ESA , STScI ; Processing: J. DePasquale ( STScI ). The original explanation runs about 153 words.

A field of stars on the left is mirred by a wall of opaque brown dust on the right. Jutting out from the wall is a long pillar with a rounded end that has a prominent light- colored jet emanating toward the upper left. The stellar backgroun
Credit: Image Credit: NASA , ESA , STScI ; Processing: J. DePasquale ( STScI ) Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Dust pillars are like interstellar mountains . They survive because they are more dense than their surroundings, but they are slowly being eroded away by a hostile environment.”

— APOD editors, May 3, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
May 3, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: NASA , ESA , 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 153 words

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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.