APOD: APOD is 15 Years Old Today (2010 Jun 16)

[Rathinagiri]

Oh my God!

15 years of non-stop service?! Just great.

This site is a wonderful source of knowledge. Thanks a lot for maintaining this site.

Happy birthday!

[Sandy from Labrador]

Happy Birthday from Labrador! What a wonderful site - I visit it every day and am constantly amazed by the beautiful and awe-inspiring images. We truly live in an age of discovery and because of you, each day we have the opportunity to learn more about our breathtaking universe. Thank you gentlemen!

[Rand0m1y.Rand0m1y]

Happy Birthday APOD! Thanks for the wonderful moments of inspiration and hope!

[jillp]

Congratulations on 15 years! Since APOD has been my home page for years, I've seen some amazing pictures. Thank you. The pixels all seem to be APOD's from one day or another. I saw lots of spiral galaxies, star trails, etc. Thanks for all your good work. This is an amazing picture today, with all these APOD pixels.

[ShanEnri]

Happy Birthday APOD!!! I love what you're doing here and hope you will never stop!

[owlice]

APODtiles.jpg (46.46 KiB) Viewed 904 times

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!

[rstevenson]

... It seems to me, as has been noted, that today's image was made (or was commissioned) for the second aniversary, but it still is a great image you have posted. ...

Way back then (the 1st, 5th and 10th anniversaries used this image) the Vermeer painting was modified to show Bob and Jerry's faces. This image has taken on a kind of iconic status around here, or so it seems. So when the Asterisk folk asked for image submissions for a 15th anniversary image, I decided to make a photo mosaic using astro images as the tiles, and the most recent modified Vermeer image as the source. RJN (aka "the occasionally industrious Robert Nemiroff") kindly supplied me with a folder containing 5,504 thumbnails of past APOD images to use as the tiles.

Some old browsers may not support this, but the way it works for me -- in Firefox, latest version -- is that the APOD appears first as a tiled image, and if you move your cursor over it it redraws as the modified Vermeer source image. If you click on it, it opens in a new window or tab as big as the window allows, and you can zoom in from there to see the tiles. Fully zoomed, the tiled image is about 34" wide, so there's lots of detail to see.

Of course, if you load the image onto your desktop automatically, you won't get any of this effect. You have to view it in a browser.

I hope everyone who sees it enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it. It's a real thrill to contribute to APOD.

Rob

[kammeo2001]

Happy Birthday APOD.
I have truly enjoyed this site for many years and have learned so much about what is going on in our night sky. Thank you and I wish for an other contuined 15 years of success.
Oh. and to answer your question of can I see any of the pictures in the image you have for today, you bet I can.. what fun.
Again a big THANK YOU.

[kammeo2001]

Happy Birthday APOD.
I have truly enjoyed this site for many years and have learned so much about what is going on in our night sky. Thank you and I wish for an other contuined 15 years of success.
Oh. and to answer your question of can I see any of the pictures in the image you have for today, you bet I can.. what fun.
Again a big THANK YOU.

[owlice]

Rob, today's image is great; thanks for making it!!

RJN (aka Bob) kindly supplied me with a folder containing 5,504 thumbnails of past APOD images to use as the tiles.

That file is available to anyone who cares to download it; one of the links in today's text is to that file. I was very glad to find it, as you can see!

[Flitters]

That was the most wonderful compilation of fantastic pics assembled!!

I have the site bookmarked and as my morning routine I view daily. Love, Love, Loved it!!

[birdseed]

Congratulations! This is my first time posting, but I check this site out every day. It's part of my morning ritual.
I love the galaxy photos most and use the ones good ones as my background. Keep up the good work.

[Claude Clay]

nice 15 years. i remember when the VAB had 9 cameras--some of which could be remotely controlled. i also remember when loading a picture took making a cup of coffee while it happened. today's speed we take for granted; as do we the phenomenal clarity. happy b-day.

[AuntieRacquel]

Dear Good & Great people of APOD

Congratulations on your longevity & even more praise for your consistently excellent images & information.

I choose not to read newspapers or recieve 'mass communications' & I CHOOSE to look at your website every day to give me a greater perspective on life on this gloriously beautiful mother earth planet (ship!?)

It truly is a joy to observe our glorious universe in its infintesimal beauty with you, thank you so much for sharing.

Wishing you all peace & prosperity & I look forward to my daily visit for the next 15 years & beyond.

Very Bestest regards
Racquel Jory-Phelps - UK

[JuliFellows]

APOD makes me smile, renews my sense of awe, and provides perspective in the midst of turbulent work days. Thank you VERY much for bringing these pleasures to us every day.
Juli Fellows

[rstevenson]

RJN (aka Bob) kindly supplied me with a folder containing 5,504 thumbnails of past APOD images to use as the tiles.

That file is available to anyone who cares to download it; one of the links in today's text is to that file. I was very glad to find it, as you can see!

Yes, I just noticed that link too. So anyone can download mosaic software (I used Mazaika for Mac OS X) and try some mosaics of your own. (You didn't think I placed each of those images manually, did you? )

I see you used good old Albert Einstein in your Birthday wish mosaic Owlice. I can't find it in my Vermeer mosaic, but I did find Marie Curie (I think) and the Face on Mars. Also, there's a funny accidental face. Find the eyelid in the face on the left, then scan down that column ten or eleven tiles and one to the right. You'll see an orange puff ball with a happy face in it. I wonder what astronomical phenomenon that is?

Rob

[barbara]

you guys rock my space world everyday!

p e a c e o u t

barbara
northern california

[Rise22]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and MANY MORE! This picture was artfully done and much appreciated. And YES! I did find some little galaxies and such ...Keep up the great work - your site is the first one I view each morning - and it's essential to keep people interested in the Cosmos...I have especially enjoyed the 3-D images of Mars - I keep my little cardboard glasses handy at my computer desk, just in case. Again, thanks and Happy Birthday!!

[Patrick]

Thank you for 15 years of true value from the internet. I begin every morning with the Astronomy Picture of the Day and get a glimpse into the Universe, where I dream of travelling and one day understanding.

[owlice]

You'll see an orange puff ball with a happy face in it. I wonder what astronomical phenomenon that is?

lol!! Thanks for pointing that out; oh, that's just great!!

ETA: It's S_001031.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001031.html)

[Dr. Strange]

Thank you. Beside providing the most beautiful images on the web, your site is the perfect antidote to the self-absorption which so besets our age.

[stargazer413]

What a wonderful birthday gift. Thank you. A perfect way to celebrate the best damned website in the universe.

[gary.t.simpson@att.net]

i love this site!!! happy birthday

[M@]

Best
Site
Ever

Thanks. Happy Birthday. Are you old enough to drive now?

M@

[Biagio]

Congratulations and thank you. Ever since my son recommended APOD years ago, it has been my home page, giving me daily inspiration and reminder about the beauty and scale of our place in the Universe!