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 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 fortified village known as a ksar, 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

Nov 9, 2018Let’s go foraging
Nov 9, 2019We heart Berlin
Nov 9, 2020Autumn in Piedmont
Nov 9, 2021Dalyan, Turkey
Nov 9, 2022European hedgehog in Sussex, England
Nov 9, 2023Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
Nov 9, 2025Carl Sagan Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 29, 2025Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands
Oct 1, 2019It s Coffee Day
May 1, 2024Lei Day
May 5, 2025Cinco de Mayo
Aug 11, 2021Everyone s watching the Perseids
Oct 4, 2018From Sputnik to extraterrestrial storms
Apr 30, 2019It s International Jazz Day
Feb 13, 2018Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Louisiana
Jan 2, 2023Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart, Germany
Jun 13, 2019A unique elephant encounter in Nantes
May 20, 2022World Bee Day
May 28, 2019Why’s it called a spelling ‘bee,’ anyhow?
Sep 9, 2025A Eurasian red squirrel in Switzerland
Jan 20, 2019It’s Penguin Awareness Day
Mar 13, 2022Daylight saving time
Jun 3, 2018Travel Sunday: Liverpool
Dec 10, 2024Lands End, Cornwall, England
Mar 24, 2021A whale of a picture
Dec 14, 2022National Audubon Society s Christmas Bird Count
Apr 22, 2023Earth Day and National Park Week
Feb 7, 2018The Kelpies statues in Falkirk, Scotland
Feb 16, 2025Happy World Whale Day!
Aug 26, 2019Classical music takes center stage
Sep 26, 2024Blue-throated toucanet, Los Quetzales National Park, Costa Rica
May 30, 2021Who s hiding in the kelp?
Mar 30, 2019Here’s why landmarks are going dark
Feb 12, 2024Darwin Day
Feb 19, 2018Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC
May 25, 2021An improbable tribute for Towel Day
Jun 15, 2025Happy Fathers Day!