Aït Benhaddou, Morocco Nov 9, 2024

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. Perched on a hillside by the Ounila River, this village is a cluster of buildings encircled by a protective wall, complete with towers and a gate.

© Cavan Images/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Look, but don’t touch
Nov 9, 2023Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
Nov 9, 2025Interstellar clouds in the Lagoon Nebula

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 24, 2025Giant cuttlefish, Whyalla, South Australia, Australia
Gateway to Latin America
Oct 30, 2025Pushkar Camel Fair
May 16, 2024International Day of Light
Dec 3, 2024Amber Fort, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Jun 16, 2024Happy Fathers Day!
Rising with the sun
Creating a better world
Get ready for the blood moon
Mar 7, 2025Plum blossoms, China
What’s blooming so brightly?
Sep 10, 2024Vasco da Gama Bridge, Lisbon, Portugal
Nov 19, 2025Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary
Masterpiece of acoustic science
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Dec 22, 2024Christmas tree at Crystal Pier, San Diego, California, United States
Jul 28, 2024Colourful bathing huts on the beach in Skåne County, Sweden
Feb 11, 2025Yungang Grottoes, Datong, China
The festival of colours
Why are blackbirds tied to winter?
Jul 19, 2024A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil
Sep 23, 2024Sea otter in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA
Mar 26, 2025Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
Can you name these pretty flowers?
A postcard-perfect landscape
Dec 27, 2024Lake Bled, Slovenia
Aug 8, 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
Apr 24, 2024The white trilliums in Ontario, Canada
Im ready for my close-up, Mr. DeSquirrel