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Picture of the day archives

2004: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2005: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2006: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2007: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2008: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2009: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2010: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2011: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2012: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2013: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2014: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2015: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2016: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2017: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2018: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2019: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2020: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2021: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2022: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2023: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2024: January February March April May June July August September October November December
2025: January February March April May June July August September October November December

These featured pictures, as scheduled below, appeared as the picture of the day (POTD) on the English Wikipedia's Main Page in this month.

You can add an automatically updating POTD template to your user page using {{Pic of the day}} (version with blurb) or {{POTD}} (version without blurb). For instructions on how to make custom POTD layouts, see Wikipedia:Picture of the day.Purge server cache


January 1

Parliament House, Canberra

A panoramic view of Parliament House, the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. At the time of the completion in 1988, it was the most expensive building in the Southern Hemisphere at over AU$1.1 billion. The building contains 4,700 rooms and many areas are open to the public. From above, it appears as two boomerangs enclosed within a circle. Much of the building is underground, located beneath Capital Hill.

Photo: John O'Neill

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January 2

Pink Knotweed

A flower and leaves of a Pink Knotweed (Persicaria capitata), an ornamental plant native to Asia. It is a prostrate herb with leaves that are 1–6 cm (0.4–2.4 in) long and 7–30 mm (0.3–1.2 in) wide, and spikes that are 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long and 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) in diameter.

Photo: Noodle snacks


January 3

An Ideal Husband

A scene from Oscar Wilde's 1895 play An Ideal Husband, originally published in a 1901 collected edition of Wilde's works. The comedy, which opened January 3, 1896, at the Haymarket Theatre in London, revolves around blackmail and political corruption, and touches on the themes of public and private honour. It has been adapted into television, radio/audio, and three films. The published version differs slightly from the performed play, for Wilde added many passages and cut others. Prominent additions included written stage directions and character descriptions. Wilde was a leader in the effort to make plays accessible to the reading public.

Artist: Unknown; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


January 4

Scene from The Wicked World

The climactic scene from Act III of The Wicked World (1873), a blank verse play by W. S. Gilbert about how female fairies cope with a sudden introduction to them of men and "mortal love". This is one of several "fairy comedies" by Gilbert, and it established him as a writer of wide range, propelling him beyond the burlesques he had produced in his early career, and leading towards his famous Savoy operas.

Illustration: D. H. Friston; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


January 5

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

An 1880s poster for Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, a novella by Robert Louis Stevenson known for its vivid portrayal of a split personality, wherein within the same person there is both an apparently good and an evil personality, quite distinct from each other. It was a huge success, with over 40,000 copies sold in the first six months after publication.

Poster: National Prtg. & Engr. Co.; Restoration: PLW


January 6

Ensign wasp

Evania appendigaster is a species of ensign wasp, a family of parasitoid wasps whose larvae are known to be predatory on cockroaches. However, hosts for 96% of the over 400 species are not yet known, so it is likely that more unusual life histories exist. Ensign wasps are found worldwide, apart from the polar regions.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


January 7

Male Magpie-lark

A male Magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), a common Australian bird of small to medium size. Like many Australian birds, it was named for its physical similarity to the northern hemisphere birds familiar to European settlers. In fact, it is neither a magpie nor a lark and is not particularly closely related to either.

Photo: Fir0002


January 8

Fleet Air Arm helicopter

A Eurocopter AS350 "Squirrel" helicopter flown by 723 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), the section of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft. The FAA is currently an all-helicopter force, operating four separate models in the anti-submarine warfare and maritime support roles.

Photo: Fir0002


January 9

Walter Johnson and Calvin Coolidge

U.S. President Calvin Coolidge shaking hands with baseball player Walter Johnson and presenting him with a "diploma" for the Washington Senators winning the 1924 American League championship. Johnson was one of the most accomplished pitchers in Major League Baseball history. He established several pitching records, some of which remain unbroken, including career shutouts (110) and most consecutive seasons leading the league in strikeouts (8).

Photo: National Photo Company; Restoration: Staxringold


January 10

Opal

A polished sample of opal, a mineraloid gemstone, that occurs in the fissures of almost any kind of rock, being most commonly found with limonite, sandstone, rhyolite, marl, and basalt. Opal comes in a wide variety of colors, with red against black being the most rare, whereas white and green are the most common.

Photo: Noodle snacks


January 11

Gunnar Sønsteby

Gunnar Sønsteby (born January 11, 1918), known by the code names of Kjakan (The Chin) and No. 24, was a member of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. He is the most decorated person in Norway, and the only one to have been awarded the War Cross with three swords. He was the head of the Norwegian Independent Company 1 group, which committed numerous acts of sabotage against the Nazi regime. This put him high on the Gestapo's most wanted list, but he was never captured. Now in his 90s, he still gives frequent talks about his wartime experiences.

Photo credit: Arne Flaaten


January 12

Luculia gratissima

Flowers of Luculia gratissima, a species of shrub in the small genus Luculia, all of which are native to eastern South Asia and southern East Asia. The plants have large leaves from 20 to 35 cm (8 to 14 in) with prominent veins carried in opposite pairs and with a terminal of an umbel or corymb of tubular/open ended white, pink or creamy flowers with five spreading petals.

Photo: JJ Harrison


January 13

Spanish grant of arms

A Grant of Arms by Philip II of Spain to Alonso de Mesa and Hernando de Mesa, signed 25 November 1566. In Spanish heraldry, coats of arms were granted based almost entirely on military service, which made it possible for commoners to join the ranks of the Spanish nobility. Also unique to Spain was that titles could be inherited through females and via illegitimacy.

Image: Royal Household of Spain; Restoration: Lise Broer


January 14

Inner tubing

A person engaged in tubing (or "inner tubing"), the recreational activity of riding an inner tube, either on water, snow, or through the air. Tubing on water generally consists of two forms: free-floating and towed (shown here). In the latter, one or more riders tether their tubes to a powered watercraft, which tows them along the surface of the water.

Photo: Peter Opatrny


January 15

Jimmy Wales

Jimmy Wales is the co-founder of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia, along with Larry Sanger and others. Wikipedia succeeded an earlier attempt at an encyclopedia called Nupedia, but Nupedia grew slowly because of its onerous submission format, which required articles to be peer reviewed. Sanger was then introduced to the concept of a wiki, and thus Wikipedia was born. Wales continues to serve on the Board of Trustees of the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, and he also co-founded Wikia, a for-profit wiki hosting site.

Photo: Manuel Archain


January 16

Globe Skimmer

The Globe Skimmer (Pantala flavescens) is the most widespread dragonfly species on the planet, found between about the 40th parallels of latitude, or where the annual mean temperature is above 20 °C (68 °F), except in Europe where there are only occasional sightings.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


January 17

Benjamin Franklin

A painting of Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, in London, 1767, wearing a blue suit with elaborate gold braid and buttons, a far cry from the simple dress he affected when he served as ambassador to France in later years. During his time in London, Franklin was the leading voice of American interests in England. He wrote popular essays on behalf of the colonies and was instrumental in securing the repeal of the 1765 Stamp Act. The painting was done by David Martin and is currently on display in the White House. The bust on the left side is of Isaac Newton.



January 18

Rufous Whistler

The Rufous Whistler (Pachycephala rufiventris, male shown here) is a species of whistler found in New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and throughout Australia (with the exception of Tasmania). Predominantly a reddish-brown and grey bird, it has a variety of musical calls.

Photo: Fir0002


January 19

Meerkat

The meerkat (Suricata suricatta) is a small member of the mongoose family native to the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa. They are social animals, living underground in groups of 20 to 50 members. Although the name means "lake cat" in Dutch, meerkats are not cats, nor are they attracted to lakes.

Photo: Fir0002


January 20

Malachite

A sample of malachite, a green copper carbonate mineral that crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system. It is typically associated with copper deposits around limestone, and is often found together with azurite. Malachite was used as a mineral pigment in green paints from antiquity until about 1800, and is still used today for decorative purposes and to make jewelry.

Photo: JJ Harrison


January 21

Danny Lee Wynter

Danny Lee Wynter is an English actor of Italian and Jamaican descent. He has starred in several theatre productions, including King Lear, Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2, all at Shakespeare's Globe. He has also had guest appearances in various television programmes such as Luther, Trial & Retribution, and Holby City. Lee Wynter lives and works in London.

Photo: Johan Persson

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January 22

Canna lily

Flowers of a canna lily hybrid. Canna lilies are members of the genus Canna. They are not true lilies, and are more closely related to the other plant families in the order Zingiberales, such as the gingers, bananas, marantas, heliconias, and strelitzias. There are nineteen known species and numerous cultivars, all of which have large, attractive foliage, making it a popular garden plant. In addition, it is one of the world's richest starch sources, and as such is used in agriculture.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

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January 23

Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke is a pitcher for the Major League Baseball team Milwaukee Brewers. He began his career with the Kansas City Royals (as pictured here), during which time he won the American League Cy Young Award, given to the league's best pitcher. In December 2010, Greinke asked to be traded, saying he was not motivated to play for a rebuilding team.

Photo: Keith Allison


January 24

Bronx Community College library

The library of Bronx Community College in 1904, when the campus was part of New York University, located in the University Heights neighborhood of The Bronx. It was designed in the Neo-Renaissance style by Stanford White. Behind the library can be seen the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, the first hall of fame in the United States.

Photo: Detroit Photographic Co.; Restoration: Lise Broer


January 25

Train station photo by Gustave Le Gray

A mid-1800s photo of a train station with train and coal depot, taken by Gustave Le Gray, "the most important French photographer of the nineteenth century" because of his technical innovations in the still-new medium of photography and his role as the teacher of other noted photographers. Two of his photographs were sold in 1999, setting world records for most expensive single photograph ever sold at auction.

Restoration: Lise Broer


January 26

Satellite image of Australia

The geography of Australia, the world's smallest continent, encompasses a wide variety of biogeographic regions. By surface area, it is the sixth-largest country in the world, but as can be seen in this composite satellite image, much of the interior is arid desert. The vast majority of the human population is concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts, and it is the fiftieth most populous nation.

Photo: MODIS (NASA)


January 27

Flesh fly regurgitating food

A flesh-fly "blowing a bubble". The diet of the flesh-fly is very high in water content. The fly regurgitates the liquid portion of the food, holds it whilst evaporation reduces the water content, and then swallows a much more concentrated food meal without the water content. This continues until an appropriate amount of liquid is left for the fly.

Photo: Fir0002


January 28

Silver Gull

The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus novaehollandiae) is the most common gull seen in Australia. It is found throughout the continent, having adapted well to urban environments and thriving around shopping centres and garbage dumps. The Silver Gull should not be confused with the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), which is called "silver gull" in many other languages.

Photo: Fir0002


January 29

Promotional poster for Mantra-Rock Dance musical event

The Mantra-Rock Dance musical event took place on January 29, 1967, at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco and came to be dubbed as the "ultimate high" and the "major spiritual event" of the hippie era. It was organized by the early followers of the Hare Krishna movement as a promotional and fundraising effort for their first temple on the West Coast. One of them, Harvey W. Cohen, created the Stanley Mouse inspired promotional poster (pictured). The Mantra-Rock Dance featured the Hare Krishna founder Bhaktivedanta Swami, the countercultural ideologues Allen Ginsberg and Timothy Leary, and leading rock groups the Grateful Dead, Moby Grape, and Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company. The event caused the Hare Krishna mantra to be adopted by all levels of the counterculture as a "loose commonality" and a viable alternative to drugs.

Artist: Harvey W. Cohen


January 30

Synthetic gold crystal

A sample of pure synthetic crystals of gold , made by the chemical transport reaction in chlorine gas. Gold is a precious metal used in jewelry, coins, and industrial uses such as dentistry and electronics. It is malleable and ductile, and does not oxidize in air or water.

Photo: Alchemist-hp


January 31

Sunflower

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are large flowering plants native to the Americas. They most commonly grow to heights between 1.5 and 3.5 m (5 and 11 ft), although the tallest known sunflower reached 12 m (39 ft) high. The large inflorescence is composed of a flower head (or "composite flower") of numerous florets (small flowers) crowded together. The florets within the sunflower's cluster are arranged in a spiral pattern and will mature into seeds. The seeds are used as snack food, expeller pressed into sunflower oil, made into sunflower butter (a peanut butter alternative), or milled into flour.

Photo: Fir0002


December 1

Azurite

Azurite is a soft, deep blue copper mineral produced by weathering of copper ore deposits. Its primary use is for pigment: it gives a wide range of blues depending on the degree of fineness to which it was ground and its basic content of copper carbonate. Azurite is easily confused with lapis lazuli, another blue stone composed primarily of a different mineral, lazurite.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 2

William Henry Smith in Punch

"Our New 'First Lord' at Sea", an 1877 editorial cartoon from Punch mocking the appointment of William Henry Smith (right) as First Lord of the Admiralty, the governor of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. Smith had been a household name thanks to the W H Smith chain of booksellers and newsagents, and he had been a Member of Parliament for the previous ten years, but he had no naval or even military experience whatsoever. The following year, Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore would satirise him on similar grounds, and he became known as "Pinafore Smith" throughout the course of his three years in the post.

Artist: John Tenniel; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


December 3

Gonia capitata close-up

A macro view of a Gonia capitata fly feeding on honey, showing its proboscis and pedipalps (the two appendages protruding from the proboscis), two types of insect mouthparts. The proboscis actually comprises the labium, a quadrupedal structure, and a sponge-like labellum at the end. Flies eat solid food by secreting saliva and dabbing it over the food item. As the saliva dissolves the food, the solution is then drawn up into the mouth as a liquid. The labellum's surface is covered by minute food channels which form a tube leading to the esophagus, and food is drawn up the channels by capillary action.

Photo: Richard Bartz


December 4

Amanita muscaria

Two immature Amanita muscaria mushrooms, a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungus found throughout the world. Its main psychoactive constituent is the compound muscimol, an alkaloid that occurs naturally in Amanita species. It was used as an intoxicant and entheogen by the peoples of Siberia and has a religious significance in these cultures.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 5

Abutilon × hybridum flower

The flower of a Abutilon × hybridum 'Patrick Synge' cultivar, a hybrid shrub of unknown parentage. The common name "Chinese Lantern" is often used, though the same name is also applied to Physalis alkekengi. It is a popular group of hybrids that are semi-tropical, frost-tender shrubs typically growing 2–3 m (7–10 ft) tall. The lantern-like buds open to solitary, pendulous, bell- to cup-shaped flowers to 8 cm (3 in) diameter with five overlapping petals and significant staminal columns typical of the mallow family. Flowers come in red, pink, yellow, white and pastel shades. Lobed, maple-like, light green leaves are often variegated with white and yellow.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 6

Anthophora sp. bee

A female bee of the Anthophora genus, with its tongue extended to take in water or aphid secretions. Anthophora comprises over 450 species worldwide, being most abundant and diverse in the Holarctic and African biogeographic regions.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


December 7

Derwentwater

A panoramic view of the northern shore of Derwentwater, one of the principal bodies of water in the Lake District in North West England, as seen from near Keswick. The lake measures approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) long by 1 mile (1.6 km) wide, with a depth of about 72 feet (21.9 m). Derwentwater is a popular tourist destination, especially for recreational walking, and there is an extensive network of footpaths within the hills and woods surrounding the lake.

Photo: David Iliff


December 8

Dún Laoghaire in the 1890s

An 1890s photochrom print of Dún Laoghaire (then known as Kingstown), a suburban seaside town and county town of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County, in Ireland. A major port of entry from Great Britain, the town is situated about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Dublin city centre. The town's name derives from a fort ("Dún" in Irish) built by Laoghaire, a 5th century High King of Ireland.

Image: Detroit Publishing Co.; Restoration: A. Cuerden


December 9

Pacific Black Duck

The Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa) is a dabbling duck found throughout much of the southwestern Pacific. It has a dark body, and a paler head with a dark crown and facial stripes, with a green speculum and pale underwing. The size range is 54–61 cm (21–24 in), with males being slightly larger than females.

Photo: Fir0002


December 10

Scene from Rob Roy

A scene from Sir Walter Scott's 1817 historical novel Rob Roy, which tells the story of Frank Osbaldistone, the son of an English merchant who travels to Scotland to collect a debt stolen from his father. On the way he encounters the larger-than-life title character of Robert Roy MacGregor. Though Rob Roy is not the lead character (in fact the narrative does not move to Scotland until halfway through the book) his personality and actions are key to the story's development. The novel is a brutally realistic depiction of the social conditions in Highland and Lowland Scotland in the early 18th century.

Engraving: Dalziel Brothers; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


December 11

Gawthorpe Hall

Gawthorpe Hall is an Elizabethan house in Padiham, in the borough of Burnley, Lancashire, England. It was originally a pele tower, a strong square structure built in the 14th century as a defence against the invading Scots. Around 1600 a Jacobean mansion was dovetailed around the pele, but in 1850 Sir Charles Barry, who later designed the Houses of Parliament, redesigned it to its current state.

Photo: Childzy


December 12

Smoky quartz

Smoky quartz is a brown to black variety of quartz. It goes by various names, depending on the colour: a dark-brown to black opaque variety is called "morion"; a yellow-brown variety from Scotland is known as "cairngorm", the colour being a result of ferric oxide impurity.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 13

Internal spider anatomy

The internal anatomy of a typical female two-lunged spider. The yellow items signify portions of the digestive system, red indicates the circulatory system, blue is the nervous system, pink is the respiratory system, and purple is the reproductive system. Lastly, the spinnerets and poison glands are shown in green.

Image: Ryan Wilson, after John Henry Comstock


December 14

Karkalla flower

The flower of a Karkalla (Carpobrotus rossii), a succulent coastal groundcover plant native to southern Australia. Australian Aborigines traditionally eat the globular purplish-red fruit, fresh and dried. The salty leaves are also reported to be eaten with meat.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 15

Scene from "The Canterville Ghost"

A scene from "The Canterville Ghost", Oscar Wilde's first published story, which is about an American family that moves into a haunted house in England. However, instead of being frightened of the eponymous ghost, they turn the tables and prank him, such as in this scene, where the twin boys have set up a butter-slide, causing the ghost to slip down the staircase. The story satirises both the unrefined tastes of Americans and the determination of the British to guard their traditions.

Artist: Wallace Goldsmith; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


December 16

Frontispiece to A Memoir of Jane Austen

The frontispiece to A Memoir of Jane Austen, a biography of the author Jane Austen (1775–1817), written by her nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh and published 52 years after her death. Common to biographies written in the Victorian era, it did not attempt to unreservedly tell the story of the author's life, but instead kept much private information from the public. The Memoir generated popular interest in the works of Jane Austen, which only a literary elite had read up until that point. The art for the frontispiece took some liberties with the original painting, softening Austen's features in the Victorian style.

Image: James Andrews, after Cassandra Austen
Restoration: Adam Cuerden/Staxringold


December 17

White-barred Emperor butterfly

The White-barred Emperor (Charaxes brutus, ssp. natalensis shown here) is a butterfly species native to central and southern Africa. The wingspan is 60–75 mm (2.4–3.0 in) in males and 75–90 mm (3.0–3.5 in) in females. All Charaxes species are tropical Old World butterflies, with the highest diversity in the humid forests around the Indian Ocean, from Africa to Indonesia.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


December 18

Black Currawong

The Black Currawong (Strepera fuliginosa) is a large passerine bird native to Tasmania. One of three currawong species, it is closely related to the butcherbirds and Australian Magpie. It is a large crow-like bird, around 50 cm (20 in) long on average, with yellow irises, a heavy bill, and black plumage with white wing patches. It is similar in appearance to the Clinking Currawong, but the latter has a white rump and larger white wing patches. The Black Currawong is usually found in wetter eucalypt forests, in areas above 200 m (656 ft) altitude, mainly in the Central Highlands, with scattered records elsewhere in Tasmania and the surrounding islands.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 19

Semi-submersible oil platform

The semi-submersible oil platform P-51, operated by Brazilian energy company Petrobras, being positioned by tugboats. Semisubs sit on pontoons located under the ocean surface, with the operating deck atop columns, above the sea level. In this manner, they are relatively protected from wave action.

Photo: Agência Brasil


December 20

Estádio da Luz

The Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, is the home stadium of the association football club S.L. Benfica. The stadium, which has a capacity of 65,400, opened in October 2003, and has hosted several major games, including the final of the 2004 European Championship. The name translates to "Stadium of Light", a common theme in Portuguese Catholicism. It replaced an older, larger stadium, also called Estádio da Luz.

Photo: Massimo Catarinella


December 21

Great Britain snowed under

A satellite photo of Great Britain and part of Ireland showing the extent of snow cover during the winter of 2009–2010, the coldest in Europe since 1981–82. Starting on 16 December 2009 a persistent weather pattern brought cold moist air from the north with systems undergoing cyclogenesis from North American storms moving across the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and saw many parts of Europe experiencing heavy snowfall and record low temperatures.

Photo: Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA


December 22

Amethyst crystal

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used in jewelry. The color is a result of irradiation which causes the iron ions present as impurities in quartz to rearrange themselves in the crystal lattice. On exposure to heat, the irradiation effects can be partially cancelled and amethyst generally becomes yellow or even green.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 23

French marigold

The French marigold (Tagetes patula) is an annual flowering plant in the daisy family. The flowers are used to make food coloring as well as dyes for textiles. The plants are also distilled for their essential oils, which are then used in perfumes, and they are also being investigated for anti-fungal properties.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


December 24

Aida poster

A poster for a 1908 American production of Aida, an opera by Giuseppe Verdi that premiered on December 24, 1871, to great acclaim at the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo, Egypt. However, Verdi was most dissatisfied that the audience consisted of invited dignitaries and critics, but no members of the general public. He therefore considered the European premiere, held at La Scala, Milan, to be its real premiere.

Poster: Otis Lithograph Co; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


December 25

"Gloria in Excelsis Deo"

An engraving of an angel with the words Gloria in excelsis Deo et in terra pax ("Glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth"), the words angels sang when the birth of Christ was announced to shepherds, as recounted in Luke 2:14. This formed the basis of a doxology which is today known as Gloria in Excelsis Deo. A tradition recorded in the Liber Pontificalis states that Pope Telesphorus used the hymn at the Mass of Christmas Day in the 2nd century A.D., and it is still recited in its entirety in the Byzantine Rite Orthros service. The Gloria has been and still is sung to a wide variety of melodies, modern scholars having catalogued well over two hundred of them.

Image: Dalziel Brothers, after J. R. Clayton


December 26

Australian Magpie

The Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen) is an omnivorous medium-sized passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It has been introduced to New Zealand, where it is considered invasive, as well as to the Solomon Islands and Fiji, where it is not. Adults range from 37 to 43 cm (15 to 17 in) in length, with distinctive black and white plumage, red eyes and a solid wedge-shaped bluish-white and black bill. Described as one of Australia's most accomplished songbirds, the Australian Magpie has an array of complex vocalisations.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 27

Zebra portrait

A portrait of a Plains Zebra (Equus quagga), the most common and widespread species of zebra. The unique stripes and behaviors of zebras make these among the animals most familiar to people. They can be found in a variety of habitats throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The name "zebra" comes from the Old Portuguese word zevra which means "wild ass". Zebra stripes are typically vertical on the head, neck, forequarters, and main body, with horizontal stripes at the rear and on the legs of the animal. It was previously believed that zebras were white animals with black stripes. Embryological evidence, however, shows that the animal's background color is black and the white stripes are additions.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


December 28

Face of a yellowjacket queen

The face of a southern yellowjacket (Vespula squamosa) queen. Yellowjacket is the common name in North America for some species of predatory wasps. They can be identified by their distinctive markings, usually black and yellow, small size (similar to a honey bee), their occurrence only in colonies, and a characteristic, rapid, side to side flight pattern prior to landing.

Photo: Thomas Shahan


December 29

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep

W. W. Denslow's illustration of "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep", a children's nursery rhyme that dates to 1744, when it was published in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book. Since then, the words have remained mostly intact with few changes. The rhyme is sung to a variant of the 1761 French melody Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman, which is also used for "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and the alphabet song. As with many nursery rhymes, attempts have been made to find origins and meanings for the rhyme, but no theories have been definitively proven. Denslow's illustration accompanied a 1901 edition of Mother Goose.

Restoration: Lise Broer


December 30

Creedite

A sample of orange-colored creedite, a rare hydroxyl halide mineral that forms from the oxidation of fluorite ore deposits. It occurs as colorless to white to purple monoclinic prismatic crystals.

Photo: Noodle snacks


December 31

Animation of the knight's tour

The knight's tour is a mathematical problem involving a knight on a chessboard. The knight is placed on the empty board and, moving according to the rules of chess, must visit each square exactly once. A knight's tour is called a closed tour if the knight ends on a square attacking the square from which it began (so that it may tour the board again immediately with the same path). Otherwise the tour is open. The depicted tour is an open tour, with shaded squares denoting where the knight has already visited.

Animation: Ilmari Karonen


November 1

Tasmanian Native-hen

The Tasmanian Native-hen (Gallinula mortierii) is a flightless rail, one of twelve species of birds endemic to the Australian island of Tasmania, except the southwestern portion. Although flightless, it is capable of running quickly and has been recorded running at speeds up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h). Fossil records indicate that the Tasmanian Native-hen was found on the Australian mainland until around 4700 years ago. Suggested reasons for its extinction there have included the introduction of the dingo, or an extremely dry period.

Photo: Noodle snacks

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November 2

Boxer Rebellion

Japanese and British troops attack members of the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists ("Boxers") at Beijing Castle during the Boxer Rebellion of 1899–1901. The Boxers, angered by foreign imperialist expansion into Qing Dynasty China, had engaged in looting, arson, and killings of foreigners. In 1900, the Empress Dowager Cixi employed the Boxers to attack foreign settlements in Beijing. The uprising was eventually put down by 20,000 troops from the Eight-Nation Alliance.

Artist: Kasai Torajirō; Restoration: Staxringold


November 3

Pelopidas sp. Grass Skipper

A Grass Skipper butterfly from the genus Pelopidas. With over 2,000 described species, Grass Skippers are the largest subfamily of Skippers, which are named after their quick, darting flight habits.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


November 4

Suttungr

The giant Suttungr threatens some dwarves, in this scene from Norse mythology. In the story, the dwarf brothers Fjalar and Galar had murdered Suttungr's parents. The giant captured the two, as well as some other dwarves, and placed them on a rock that would be submerged by the tide (shown here). The dwarves begged for Suttungr to spare their lives and offered him the magical mead of poetry, which would allow whoever drinks it to have the ability to recite any information and solve any question. The mead was then stolen by Odin and given to the gods and to men gifted in poetry.

Artist: Louis Huard; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


November 5

Reflector from Conway's Game of Life

An animated image from Conway's Game of Life showing oscillators of varying periods that double as glider reflectors (highlighted in pink), which are patterns that can interact with a spaceship to change its direction of motion, without damage to the reflector patterns themselves.

Image: Simpsons contributor


November 6

Pied Piper of Hamelin

An illustration by Kate Greenaway that accompanied Robert Browning's version of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a legend wherein a piper is hired by the town of Hamelin, Germany, to lead rats away with his magic pipe. The town refuses to pay his wages and he retaliates by leading the children of the town away as well.

Restoration: Lise Broer


November 7

Coral fungus

Clavulinopsis corallinorosacea is a species of coral fungus, so named for their resemblance to aquatic coral. Coral fungi can be similar in appearance to jelly fungi. They are often brightly colored, mostly oranges, yellows, or reds, and usually grow in older mature forests. Some coral fungi are saprotrophic on decaying wood, while others are commensal or even parasitic.

Photo: Noodle snacks


November 8

Hut of the Chaga people

A traditional hut of the Chaga people, Bantu-speaking indigenous Africans who live on the southern and eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, as well as in the Moshi area. In agricultural exports, the Chaga are best known for their Arabica coffee, which is exported to American and European markets, resulting in coffee being a primary cash crop.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


November 9

Little Pied Cormorant

The Little Pied Cormorant (Microcarbo melanoleucos, shown here in wing-drying pose) is a common Australasian waterbird. It is a small short-billed cormorant, measuring 56–58 cm (22–23 in) in length, usually coloured black above and white below with a yellow bill and small crest.

Photo: Noodle snacks


November 10

Alpine pasqueflower fruit

The fruit of an alpine pasqueflower (Pulsatilla alpina), an alpine plant found in the mountain ranges of central and southern Europe from central Spain to Croatia. It grows between 1,200 and 2,700 m (3,900 and 8,900 ft) above mean sea level and is mildly toxic. A number of subspecies are recognised, based largely on the form and hairiness of the leaves.

Photo: SiameseTurtle


November 11

Welsh World War I poster

A poster from Wales advertising a fundraising event to support Welsh troops in the First World War. The United Kingdom during this period underwent a number of societal changes, mainly due to wartime events: many of the class barriers of Edwardian England were diminished, women were drawn into mainstream employment and were granted suffrage as a result, and increased national sentiment helped to fuel the break up of the British Empire.

Artist: Frank Brangwyn; Restoration: Lise Broer


November 12

"The Man That Pleased None"

"The Man That Pleased None", from Walter Crane's 1887 illustrated book The Baby's Own Aesop, a collection of Aesop's Fables retold in limerick format. Aesop lived in Ancient Greece between 620 and 560 BCE, and his fables are some of the most well known in the world, remaining a popular choice for moral education of children today. Crane, a member of the Arts and Crafts movement, popularised the child-in-the-garden motifs that would characterise many nursery rhymes and children's stories for decades to come.

Restoration: Lise Broer


November 13

Darkling beetle

An Alphitobius species of darkling beetle, a large family of beetles found worldwide, containing more than 20,000 species. The larval stages of several species are cultured as feeder insects for captive insectivores, and include the very commonly known mealworms and superworms.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


November 14

Anopterus glandulosus

Anopterus glandulosus (Native Laurel or Tasmanian Laurel) is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Escalloniaceae, native to Tasmania in Australia. It usually occurs as a shrub 2-4 metres high but may occasionally form a tree up to 10m high. The leaves are large, 7–17 cm long and 2–4 cm wide. The white to light pink flowers are about 2 cm across and occur during spring and often again in autumn.

Photo: Noodle snacks


November 15

Scene from Maritana

Maritana is an opera first produced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 15 November 1845, conducted by its composer, William Vincent Wallace. The opera is in three acts and is based on the play Don César de Bazan by Adolphe d'Ennery and Philippe François Pinel Dumanoir (1806–1865).

Image: The Illustrated London News
Restoration: Adam Cuerden


November 16

Low Memorial Library

The Low Memorial Library rotunda of Columbia University, an Ivy League university in New York City, c. 1900–10. The building no longer serves as a library, having been converted to administrative purposes when it was supplanted by the larger Butler Library in 1934. However, the building's facade is still etched with the words "The Library of Columbia University," leading many to mistakenly believe that it retains its earlier role. The building was designed in the neoclassical style by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White, which was responsible for the design of much of the campus. It is registered as a National Historic Landmark.

Photo: Detroit Publishing Co.; Restoration: Lise Broer


November 17

Clapham Common tube station platform

The platform at Clapham Common, a station on London Underground's Northern line. With tracks on either side serving trains moving in opposite directions, this is an example of an island platform. This configuration is popular in the modern railway world, but may present engineering challenges to existing rail lines.

Photo: David Iliff


November 18

Chestnut Teal

The Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea, male shown here) is an omnivorous dabbling duck found in southern Australia. The male has a distinctive green coloured head and mottled brown body. The female has a brown head and mottled brown body, which is almost identical to a female Grey Teal.

Photo: Fir0002


November 19

The Knave of Hearts

In the poem "The Queen of Hearts", the titular queen bakes some tarts, which are then stolen by the Knave of Hearts (shown here). The King of Hearts has the Knave punished, so he brings them back and pledges not to steal again. The poem was published anonymously in 1782, along with three lesser-known stanzas, all about characters based on playing cards.

Artist: W. W. Denslow; Restoration: Lise Broer


November 20

International Space Station

This photo of the International Space Station (ISS) was taken during STS-119, a Space Shuttle mission that delivered and assembled the fourth starboard Integrated Truss Segment, and the final set of solar arrays and batteries to the station. Construction of the ISS is still ongoing and is scheduled to complete in December 2011.

Photo: NASA


November 21

Dendrites on a silver crystal

A specimen of crystallized silver, electrolytically refined, with dendritic structures. On metals, dendrites are tree-like structures formed as molten metal solidifies. This dendritic growth has large consequences in regards to material properties. For example, smaller dendrites generally lead to higher ductility of the product.

Photo: Alchemist-hp


November 22

Old panorama of Beirut

A panorama of Beirut in the late 19th century under Ottoman rule. After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, Beirut, along with the rest of Lebanon, was placed under the French Mandate. After Lebanon achieved independence on 22 November 1943, Beirut became its capital city.

Photos: Maison Bonfils; Restoration: Banzoo


November 23

Pindi moth

The Pindi moth (Abantiades latipennis) is endemic to Australia, where the larvae primarily feed on the roots of Eucalyptus trees. Female moths "lay" their eggs by scattering up to 10,000 of them during flight. Larvae then hatch in the leaf litter on the forest floor and begin tunnelling in search of suitable host roots.

Photo: Noodle snacks


November 24

Scene from Guy Mannering

A scene from Chapter XXVII of Guy Mannering, a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott that was originally published anonymously in 1815. It is set in the 1760s to 1780s, mostly in the Galloway area of southwest Scotland. The eponymous character of Guy Mannering is actually only a minor character in the story, the plot being mostly concerned with Harry Bertram, the son of the Laird of Ellangowan, who is kidnapped at the age of five by smugglers. It follows the fortunes and adventures of Harry and his family in subsequent years, and the struggle over the inheritance of Ellangowan. The novel also depicts the lawlessness that existed at the time, when smugglers operated along the coast and thieves frequented the country roads. The book was a huge success, selling out the day after its first edition.

Artist: Norman Mills Price; Restoration: Adam Cuerden


November 25

Leptecophylla juniperina fruit

The fruit of Leptecophylla juniperina, a flowering plant native to New Zealand and southeastern Australia. In New Zealand, it is known as Prickly Heath and Prickly Mingimingi, and one subspecies in Tasmania is called Pink Mountain Berry. The plants grow best in areas with moderate winters and cool moist summers, and the fruit is edible.

Photo: Noodle snacks


November 26

Yellow mite

A digitally colorized scanning electron micrograph of a yellow mite (Lorryia formosa), a common agricultural pest of citrus trees around the world. The magnification in this image is approximately 200x, as specimens are generally less than 250 µm long.

Image: Eric Erbe/Chris Pooley, ARS


November 27

Shaggy parasol mushroom

A shaggy parasol mushroom, with its cap not yet opened. The common name applies to two closely related species, Chlorophyllum rhacodes and C. brunneum, both of which are found in North America and Europe, with the latter species also present in Australia. The stem typically grows to 10 to 20 cm (4–8 in) tall, and the cap grows to 7.5 to 20 cm (3–8 in) across. Shaggy parasols are edible, but are very similar in appearance to the poisonous Chlorophyllum molybdites. Because the two can only be reliably identified by spore print, they are not recommended for inexperienced hunters.

Photo: Jörg Hempel


November 28

Musk Lorikeet

The Musk Lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) is a species of lorikeet found in south-central/eastern Australia. It grows to about 22 cm (9 in) long, and can be identified by its red forehead, blue crown and a distinctive yellow band on its wing.

Photo: Fir0002


November 29

Blue mussel

Three specimens of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), a medium-sized edible marine bivalve mollusc. Blue mussels live in intertidal areas around the world, attached to rocks and other hard substrates by strong (and somewhat elastic) thread-like structures called byssal threads. They are commonly harvested as food in many different cuisines. In the upper left, the mussel is closed. The upper right shows the mussel slightly open, with the white posterior adductor muscle visible. Lastly, in the bottom individual, the adductor muscle has been cut to allow the valves to open fully.

Photo: Rainer Zenz


November 30

Royal Avenue, Belfast, 1890s

A photochrom print of Royal Avenue in Belfast, Northern Ireland, from the 1890s. In the 19th century, Belfast became Ireland's pre-eminent industrial city, and saw an influx of immigration, made up of mostly Catholics into a predominantly Protestant city. Sectarian tensions remained high throughout the years, with no major incidents having taken place since 1998's Belfast Agreement.

Image: Detroit Publishing Co.; Restoration: Lise Broer


October 1

Pūkeko

The Pūkeko (Porphyrio porphyrio melanotus) is a subspecies of the Purple Swamphen, native to New Zealand and elsewhere in Australasia. The name comes from the Māori language; the bird is highly revered in Māori culture because the colour red is associated with nobility and power, and the species has red beaks and legs. It is unknown how the species spread to New Zealand from Australia. It may have been brought by ancestors of Māori, or it may have arrived there on its own.

Photo: Fir0002


October 2

Italian Market, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A panoramic view of South 9th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is the location of the Italian Market, a commercial area of the city featuring a strong Italian American influence. Italian immigrants began to move into the area around 1884 and many of the present vendors can trace the founding of their businesses back to the first decade of the 20th century. The mural on the left shows Frank Rizzo, mayor of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1980.

Photo: Massimo Catarinella


October 3

Aldabra Giant Tortoise

The Aldabra Giant Tortoise (Geochelone gigantea), from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world. Similar in size to the famous Galapagos Giant Tortoise, its carapace averages 120 centimetres (47 in) in length. The average weight is around 250 kilograms (550 lb) for males and 150 kilograms (330 lb) for females.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


October 4

Ceriagrion glabrum

Ceriagrion glabrum is a species of damselfly found throughout much of Africa, except for arid locations. The males are orange and green (seen on top here) whilst the females (bottom) range from light brown to dark brown depending on their maturity. The darkened colours in females aid in reproduction.

Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim


October 5

Ornamental initial letters

A set of 16th-century initial capitals, missing a few letters. An initial is a letter at the beginning of a work, chapter or paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text. It is often several lines in height and in older books or manuscripts sometimes ornately decorated.

Artist: Unknown; Vectorization: JovanCormac


October 6

Palm House, Kew Gardens

The Palm House at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, an area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. The institution has the world's largest collection of living plants (over 30,000) as well as one of the world's largest herbariums, with over 7 million specimens.

Photo: David Iliff


October 7

Red Flowering Gum

The flower of a Red Flowering Gum (Corymbia ficifolia), one of the most commonly planted ornamental trees in the broader eucalyptus family. It is native to a very small area of South Coast Western Australia, but is not considered under threat in the wild. The common name is somewhat of a misnomer, as the flowers may not necessarily be red, nor is it really a gum tree, but a bloodwood instead.

Photo: Noodle snacks


October 8

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October 9

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October 29

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A sealed vial of liquid bromine, encased in an acrylic cube, which is a common and secure way of presenting the chemical element for teaching purposes, as its vapors are corrosive and toxic. In nature, bromine exists exclusively as bromide salts in diffuse amounts in crustal rock. Organobromine compounds are used in a wide variety of products, including fire retardant, gasoline additives, pesticides, and anti-convulsant medicines. It has no known essential role in human or mammalian health.

Photo: Alchemist-hp

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October 30

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Unidentified species of mushrooms belonging to the Mycena genus, a large grouping of saprotrophic fungi. Mycena mushrooms are characterized by a white spore print, a small conical or bell-shaped cap, and a thin fragile stem. They are hard to identify to the species level and some are distinguishable only by microscopic features such as the shape of the cystidia. These specimens were observed in Mount Field National Park in Tasmania, Australia.

Photo: Noodle snacks

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October 31

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An illustration by Édouard Manet for a French publication of Edgar Allan Poe's narrative poem "The Raven". In the poem, the raven flies into the narrator's home and perches on a bust of Pallas Athena (seen here). The narrator then asks the bird a series of questions, to which the bird only replies, "Nevermore". Eventually, the narrator falls into despair and ends with his final admission that his soul is trapped beneath the raven's shadow and shall be lifted "Nevermore". Originally published in 1845, the poem was widely popular and made Poe famous, though it did not bring him much financial success. "The Raven" has influenced many modern works and is referenced throughout popular culture in films, television, music and more.

Restoration: Lise Broer

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September 28

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A bismuth crystal covered with an iridescent oxide surface. Bismuth is a post-transition metal with the atomic number 83. It is generally considered to be the last naturally occurring stable, non-radioactive element on the periodic table, although it is actually slightly radioactive. Bismuth compounds are used in cosmetics, medicines, and in medical procedures. As the toxicity of lead has become more apparent in recent years, alloy uses for bismuth metal as a replacement for lead have become an increasing part of bismuth's commercial importance.

Photo: Alchemist-hp

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September 29

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An engraving by Gustave Doré of a scene from Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote, the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age in the Spanish literary canon. The scene illustrated here occurs early in the novel, when Alonso Quixano (Quixote's real name) has become obsessed with books of chivalry, and believes their every word to be true, despite the fact that many of the events in them are clearly impossible. Don Quixote was published in two separate volumes, ten years apart. It is considered a founding work of modern Western literature, and it regularly appears high on lists of the greatest works of fiction ever published.

Restoration: Adam Cuerden

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September 30

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Brigadier General Charles Pomeroy Stone (1824–1887) and his daughter Hettie, photographed together in the spring of 1863. Stone was a career United States Army officer, civil engineer, and surveyor. He fought in the Mexican–American War and was reportedly the first to volunteer for the Union Army in the American Civil War. Afterwards, he also served as a general in the Egyptian Army. His non-military accomplishments include serving as chief engineer for the construction of the base of the Statue of Liberty.

Photo: Unknown; Restoration: Michel Vuijlsteke

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