Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

RCW 86: Historical Supernova Remnant

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 24, 2026 is “RCW 86: Historical Supernova Remnant,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: David Cowland). The original explanation runs about 227 words.

A faint, reddish emission nebula seen against a starry background.
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: David Cowland Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“In 185 AD, Chinese astronomers recorded the appearance of a new star in the Nanmen asterism. That part of the sky is identified with part of the southern constellation Centaurus on modern star charts.”

— APOD editors, July 24, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
July 24, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: David Cowland
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 227 words

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NebulaeSupernovae

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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.