AlUla, Saudi Arabia – September 22, 2025: An extraordinary celestial event, captured under the pristine night skies of AlUla, has been selected by NASA as its Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), a daily feature where NASA highlights one of the world’s best astronomy photographs. The striking image, taken by photographers Yousif Alqasimi and Essa Al Jasmi, shows the vibrant green glow of a meteor as it streaks directly across an hour-long exposure of the Pleiades star cluster.
This long-exposure photograph posted to the website on 25th August, titled ‘The Meteor and the Star Cluster’, marks the first-ever image taken from AlUla to be featured on a NASA platform. The stunning capture was made possible with the support of AlUla Manara, which champions the preservation and appreciation of AlUla’s unique astronomical environment.
The images were taken between Hegra, Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Gharameel Nature Reserve, one of AlUla’s certified Dark Sky Parks – the only region in the GCC to have this distinction. Moreover, AlUla’s pristine night skies are among the top 5% of dark sky quality locations globally for stargazing and astro-tourism, highlighting the breathtaking beauty and unparalleled clarity of the destination’s nocturnal landscape.
This prestigious recognition from NASA further strengthens AlUla’s global positioning as a premier destination for astrotourism and celestial discovery, offering countless opportunities to witness the wonders of the universe.
Pic credit: Yousif Alqasimi and Essa Al Jasmi