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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

🌌 NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Equinox at the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent

Date: 2026-03-15

Equinox at the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent

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Explanation:

To see the feathered serpent descend the Mayan pyramid requires exquisite timing. You must visit El Castillo -- in Mexico's YucatΓ‘n Peninsula -- near an equinox. Then, during the late afternoon if the sky is clear, the pyramid's own shadows create triangles that merge into the famous illusion of a slithering viper. Also known as the Temple of Kukulkan, the impressive step-pyramid stands 30 meters tall and 55 meters wide at the base. Built up as a series of square terraces by the pre-Columbian civilization between the 9th and 12th century, the structure can be used as a calendar and is noted for astronomical alignments. The featured composite image was captured in 2019 with Jupiter and Saturn straddling the diagonal central band of our Milky Way galaxy. In a few days another equinox will occur -- not only at Temple of KukulcΓ‘n, but all over planet Earth.