Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2026 February 14
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                                Roses are Red
               Image Credit & [3]Copyright: Raffaele Calcagno
       Text: [4]Keighley Rockcliffe ([5]NASA [6]GSFC, [7]UMBC [8]CSST,
                                [9]CRESST II)

   Explanation: Roses are red, nebulas are too, and this Valentine's gift
   is a stunning view! Pictured is a loving look at the [10]Rosette Nebula
   ([11]NGC 2237): a cosmic bloom of bright young stars sitting atop a
   stem of glowing hot gas. The rose’s blue-white speckles are among the
   [12]most luminous stars in the galaxy, with some burning millions of
   times brighter than the Sun. Their [13]stellar winds sculpt the famed
   rose shape by pushing gas and dust away from the center. Though only a
   few million years old, these massive stars are already nearing the
   [14]end of their lives, while dimmer stars embedded in the nebula will
   burn for billions of years to come. The vibrant red hue comes from
   [15]hydrogen gas, ionized by the [16]ultraviolet light from the young
   stars. The rose’s blue-white center is [17]color-mapped to indicate the
   presence of similarly ionized oxygen. The Rosette Nebula reminds us of
   the beauty and transformation woven into the fabric of the universe.

                       Tomorrow's picture: flying free
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [29]Robert Nemiroff ([30]MTU) & [31]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([32]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [33]Specific rights apply.
            [34]NASA Web Privacy, [35]Accessibility, [36]Notices;
                A service of: [37]ASD at [38]NASA / [39]GSFC,
                         [40]NASA Science Activation
                           & [41]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/RosetteCalcagno.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://kerockcliffe.com/
   5. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/
   7. https://physics.umbc.edu/research/astrophysics/
   8. https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/
   9. https://cresst2.umd.edu/
  10. https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/rosette-nebula-context-image/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap960214.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070726.html
  13. https://esahubble.org/wordbank/stellar-wind/
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/the-lives-times-and-deaths-of-stars/
  15. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/science-overview/science-explainers/spectroscopy-101-how-absorption-and-emission-spectra-work/
  16. https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/*/Ultraviolet
  17. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/04_energytoimage/
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260213.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  22. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  24. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  27. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260214
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260215.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  31. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  32. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  37. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  40. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  41. http://www.mtu.edu/