Aït Benhaddou, Morocco Nov. 9, 2024

Aït Benhaddou, Morocco

Get ready for a starry Moroccan night! Stargazing here is truly magical, as the vast skies and minimal light pollution transform each evening into a dazzling display. Every star you see is part of our galaxy, the Milky Way, which gets its name from the way it appears as a creamy band of light in the darkest skies. In today"s image, you can see this cosmic beauty glowing over Aït Benhaddou, a historic ksar—a kind of fortified village—in the Ouarzazate province of Morocco. This site was first fortified in the 11th century. It was a key stop on the ancient caravan trade route connecting the Sahara and the city of Marrakesh.

© Cavan Images/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Look, but don’t touch
Nov. 9, 2023Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
Nov. 9, 2025Carl Sagan Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec. 15, 2023SantaPark, Lapland, Finland
Ride the wave
Sep. 24, 2023World Rivers Day
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Jan. 25, 2025Porto, Portugal
Aug. 31, 2024Rocks and sand in the Sahara, Algeria
Nov. 21, 2023Grey seal pup
Jul. 31, 2025Kalalau Beach on the Nā Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii, United States
May 23, 2025World Turtle Day
Sep. 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
Oct. 11, 2023The Painted Hills, Oregon
Oct. 19, 2025Apples ready for harvest, Minnesota, United States
Sep. 20, 2023Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
Jan. 4, 2024Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
Nov. 16, 2024Wadden Sea coast, Friesland, Netherlands
Bright blue lakes and rugged mountains
A kiss and a sigh
Nature at its colourful best
Dec. 20, 2025Christmas star lanterns, Germany
A pair of high achievers
A blue-tiful island
Feb. 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Nov. 25, 2024Maasai giraffes in Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Oct. 4, 2024Nuit Blanche Toronto
Sep. 24, 2024Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
One on land, a million in space
A remote oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert
Nov. 13, 2025Distillery Winter Village
The Coast of Death
This snow will never melt