NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for Oct. 14, 2026, features a view of Mars and the Beehive star cluster beneath an aurora, photographed near Lansjärv in northern Sweden.
The NASA explanation identifies the Beehive as the open star cluster M44, also known as Praesepe. At the time of the image, Mars appeared close to the cluster’s center in the sky. The photograph is credited to Petr Horálek, Josef Kujal and Vojan Höfer.
NASA says a solar eruption reached Earth on Oct. 10, causing disturbances in the planet’s magnetic field. The agency explains that energized particles interacting with molecules in Earth’s atmosphere produce the light seen in auroras.
The entry also notes that the Sámi people, Indigenous to Sweden and other Arctic regions, traditionally regard auroras with respect. It describes the Beehive not as a group of bees, but as a collection of young stars whose rotation periods have helped researchers study how stars’ spin changes as they lose mass through stellar winds.
The feature is part of NASA’s daily astronomy image series, which pairs a space-related photograph or illustration with an explanation. The event and image are dated Oct. 14, 2026.
