Astronomy Picture of the Day · June 22, 2026

M27: The Dumbbell Nebula

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for June 22, 2026 is “M27: The Dumbbell Nebula,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Francesco Antonucci). The original explanation runs about 175 words.

A starfield surrounds a large and colorful nebula. Red spokes poke out from the outside of the nebula in some directions, while a blue haze appears in other directions. The nebula center is multicolored. Please see the explanation for more — Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Francesco Antonucci Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Is this what will become of our Sun? Quite possibly.”

— APOD editors, June 22, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: June 22, 2026
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Francesco Antonucci
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 175 words