Aït Benhaddou, Morocco 9 Nov 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

A prickly customer
9 Nov 2023Birch trees, Drammen, Norway
9 Nov 2025Remembrance Sunday

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Today, a nation was born
Mountains of sand
27 May 2024Hay Festival
Charming Turenne
The largest gypsum dune field
In the foothills of Snowdon
13 Nov 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
13 Nov 2025Quiver trees, Keetmanshoop, Namibia
18 Mar 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
27 Oct 2024British Summer Time ends
22 Dec 2025The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Ankara
12 Nov 2023Diwali
27 Jan 2026Dalmatian pelicans, Lake Kerkini, Greece
21 May 2024RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Guarding the pass
15 May 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
6 Oct 2023Taughannock Falls State Park, New York
12 Dec 2025National Poinsettia Day
22 Jun 2025World Rainforest Day
In hot water
19 Oct 2023Mekong River Delta, Long An, Vietnam
11 Mar 2025Broken Beach in Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia
All hail the mighty mangrove!
11 Apr 2025Tulips, Netherlands
25 Nov 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
World Population Day
26 Aug 2024Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
A walk in the clouds
Behold the architectural marvel
Solo on the savanna