                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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 March 25
    The plane of the Milky Way shines across the night sky above several
             large human statues that face away from the camera.

               The Guardians of Rapa Nui beneath the Milky Way
                Image Credit and Copyright: Rositsa Dimitrova
         Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)

   Explanation: In the words of today's astrophotographer, Rositsa
   Dimitrova, "What have these silent sentinels watched pass across the
   sky?" The volcanic mo'ai (meaning statue) of Ahu Tongariki stand guard
   over Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua, Easter Island), a Polynesian island
   (annexed by Chile in 1888) located thousands of kilometers off the
   coast of South America in the Pacific Ocean. Due to the island's
   remoteness, the mo'ai, with their backs to the dark ocean, are able to
   gaze upon a clear and vibrant night sky. Pictured, these
   larger-than-life statues stare at the bright band of the Milky Way,
   partly obscured by interstellar dust and blurred by Earth's clouds.
   Under such clear night skies, the Rapa Nui created observatories and
   used astronomical observations for navigation, calendar calibration,
   celebrations, and more. Images like this one remind us of the
   importance of dark skies, protecting the land underneath them, and
   preserving the culture that they inspire.

                   Tomorrow's picture: Gravitational Waves
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                  NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

