NASA showcases AlUla night sky in ‘Astronomy picture of the day’

 

NASA adds photograph taken in AlUla in ‘Astronomy picture of the day’

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla has gained global recognition after the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) selected a photograph taken in the governorate as its prestigious “Astronomy Picture of the Day.”

The long-exposure image, published on August 25 under the title “The Meteor and the Star Cluster,” captured a meteor streaking past the Pleiades star cluster, producing a vivid green glow across AlUla’s exceptionally clear night sky. It marks the first time an image from AlUla has appeared on NASA’s platform.

 

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The photograph was taken between Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Gharameel Nature Reserve—both of which hold the Dark Sky designation from DarkSky International, the only sites in the Gulf to receive this status.

Manarat AlUla, which leads efforts to protect the region’s pristine skies, played a central role in enabling this milestone. The recognition underscores AlUla’s place among the world’s top 5% of stargazing locations, where minimal light pollution makes it a premier destination for astronomy, astrophotography, and astro-tourism.

 

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This achievement further strengthens AlUla’s standing as a global hub for sky exploration, offering visitors an unparalleled view of the cosmos in one of the world’s darkest and clearest nightscapes.

Source: Asharq Al-Awsat