Astronomy Picture of the Day - Milky Way over Yellowstone

NASA ^ | 16 Aug, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Dave Lane

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: The Milky Way was not created by an evaporating lake. The colorful pool of water, about 10 meters across, is known as Silex Spring and is located in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA. Illuminated artificially, the colors are caused by layers of bacteria that grow in the hot spring. Steam rises off the spring, heated by underground magma associated with the Yellowstone Hotspot. Unrelated and far in the distance, the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy arches high overhead, a band lit by billions of stars. The picture features a 16-image panorama taken in 2014. If the Yellowstone Hotspot causes another supervolcanic eruption as it did about 640,000 years ago, a large part of North America would be affected.

[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

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[ryderann]

Neato!

[Red Badger]

[dfwgator]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWxJEIz7sSA

[Diana in Wisconsin]

WOW! If it’s clear, I can see the Milky Way from my front porch in the late summer months.

But it’s certainly NOT like this! Again, WOW! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nope. Milky Way Dark. Accept no substitutes. If I’m going to have to burn an extra 300 calories in a day, I am going to make it worth it! ;)

[redinIllinois]

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[No name given]

Wow.

[telescope115]

Nice!

[Deaf and Discerning]

Isn’t this the wrong time of year to see this? Pretty sure this isn’t supposed to show up in August...

[goodnesswins]

NICE! I remember that Pool. I spent my 17th summer working in West Yellowstone.

[TigersEye]

If the Yellowstone Hotspot causes another supervolcanic eruption as it did about 640,000 years ago, a large part of North America would be affected.

That's putting it mildly. In my current location I'd have to shovel out about three or four feet of volcanic ash. Shovel to where I don't know.

[BBB333]

“NICE! I remember that Pool. I spent my 17th summer working in West Yellowstone.”

---

NICE!

West Yellowstone is a REALLY different place than most of Montana. The winters there are surreal.

I am fortunate to live in the same county as West Yellowstone - Gallatin County - but I live in the northern section of the county.

Have camped in YNP multiple times but mostly only view the park in daylight these days.

Great photo to be sure.

[goodnesswins]

Yes..spent week in January x country skiing out of WY @15 yrs ago. Bbrrrr.

[BBB333]

The good thing is we have low humidity in the winter - the cold doesn’t grab you as it does back east.

Have a great day FRiend!