Astronomy Picture of the Day’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question 1: APOD stands for Astronomy Picture of the Day. The abbreviation sounds better than the longer phrase, as "APOD" is easier to say (pronounced "AYE-pod").

Question 2: To view yesterday's APOD, simply click the "<" symbol located to the left of today's APOD link line near the bottom of the daily page. This will take you to the previous day's feature.

Question 3: All APODs are archived, allowing you to view any past APOD by accessing the archive page. This can be found by clicking "archive" on the link line or by clicking "Discover the Cosmos" near the top of recent APOD pages.

Question 4: Yes, some APOD pictures have been repeated. Although readers may be familiar with a particular picture, new information about the image often becomes available online. This may include additional text or links related to the image. Rerunning older APODs also helps accommodate larger bandwidth connections, new image file formats, and allows for higher-resolution image postings.

Reruns are limited to APODs more than a year old to keep them relatively "new" to new viewers. Generally, APOD reruns no more than two pictures per week.

Question 5: While the APOD team cannot guarantee featuring a submitted picture, they strongly encourage picture submissions. If you own the copyright for a picture, please grant explicit permission for its use. To submit your image, upload it to a web page and provide the URL. By submitting your image, you consent to its use on APOD in various formats, including mirror sites, foreign language sites, and derivative products. A small copyright notice is recommended for submitted images.

Question 6: You can use an APOD picture for your computer-screen background for personal, non-commercial, non-public fair use.

Question 7: To obtain a nice poster of a particular APOD, you can either print out a copy for personal use or search for a version for sale by a vendor using a search engine.

Question 7a: To view a higher-resolution version of a specific APOD, click on the image itself to access the highest-resolution image available from APOD. Additional higher-resolution versions might be found by following the informative links within the APOD text.

Question 8: Yes, you can use APOD pictures in your classroom for non-commercial fair use. However, be aware that many APOD images are copyrighted. If using them commercially, you must obtain explicit permission from the copyright owners. Copyright owners can often be found by following the links provided under the APOD image(s).

Question 9: Many APOD images are copyrighted, so permission from the copyright owners is required for use in a brochure. Often, these copyright owners can be identified by clicking on the links provided under the APOD image(s).

Question 10: Due to time constraints, the APOD team may not respond to all emailed astronomy questions. However, the APOD bulletin board Starship Asterisk is home to knowledgeable and enthusiastic individuals who would be happy to answer your questions. For newcomers, the Starship Asterisk Library is a helpful resource. Alternatively, other websites dedicated to space and astronomy questions, such as Ask the Space Scientist and Ask an Astrophysicist, may provide the answers you seek. Note that public answers to your questions can benefit others curious about the same topic.

Question 11: Selections from APOD's daily pages have been compiled into two books titled "Universe: 365 Days" (May 1, 2003) and "Astronomy: 365 Days" (October 1, 2006). Both books were published by Harry N. Abrams.

Question 12: As of now, APOD CDs are no longer available.

Question 13: There are no guarantees regarding the longevity of APOD. However, as long as there are space and astronomy-related images available, APOD will continue to run. The archive began in June 1995, indicating a long-standing commitment to sharing astronomy images with the public.

Question 14: As long as there are new space and astronomy-related images available, APOD will continue to run. The archive began in June 1995, and there are currently hundreds of thousands of space and astronomy pictures archived, with many more images submitted by readers.