Astronomy Picture of the Day - Mars over Duddo Stone Circle

APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 23 Mar, 2021 | Image Credit & Copyright: Ged Kivlehan

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: Why are these large stones here? One the more famous stone circles is the Duddo Five Stones of Northumberland, England. Set in the open near the top of a modest incline, a short hike across empty fields will bring you to unusual human -sized stones that are unlike anything surrounding them. The grooved, pitted, and deeply weathered surfaces of the soft sandstones are consistent with being placed about 4000 years ago -- but placed for reasons now unknown. The featured image -- a composite of two consecutive images taken from the same location -- was captured last October under a starry sky when the Earth was passing near Mars, making the red planet unusually large and bright. Mars remains visible at sunset, although increasingly close to the horizon over the next few months.

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list.

🪐 🌟 🌌

[AFB-XYZ]

Second one from the right is flipping Mars off. :-)

[BenLurkin]

bttt

[ETL]

[Bullish]

The ancient’s were getting stoned?

[kiryandil]

Best not be hanging too close to the stones near Ostara...

[blueunicorn6]

“One of the more famous stone circles”

I got their autograph

[MtnClimber]

The new NASA interplanetary power source - Puppy Drive: >p? >p?

[ETL]

[ETL]

[ETL]

[Red Badger]

I’m not sure, but Mars seems to be ‘enhanced’ a little................