Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Cocoon Nebula Wide Field

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for September 21, 2026 is “Cocoon Nebula Wide Field,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Piotr Czerski). The original explanation runs about 167 words.

A starfield is shown against a patchy red-glowing background. Two irregular brown trails occur, the lower of which culminates in a bright pink and white region.
Credit & Copyright: Piotr Czerski Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“When does a nebula look like a comet? In this crowded starfield covering over two degrees within the high-flying constellation of the Swan (Cygnus), the eye is drawn to the Cocoon Nebula.”

— APOD editors, September 21, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
September 21, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit & Copyright: Piotr Czerski
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 167 words

All of September 2026 → · 2026 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

NebulaeComets

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: September 21 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.