Looking for some visual inspiration? Take a look way outside the box at gorgeous images from Astonomy Picture of the Day. Each photo is accompanied by a description from an astronomer so you just might learn something, too.

What dark forms lurk in the mists of the Carina Nebula? These ominous figures are actually molecular clouds, knots of molecular gas and dust so thick they have become opaque. In comparison, however, these clouds are typically much less dense than Earth's atmosphere. Pictured above is part of the most detailed image of the Carina Nebula ever taken, a part where dark molecular clouds are particularly prominent.

Posted by Megan