ocean

Picture of the day The atmospheric plume from an underwater volcano eruption in the Pacific nation of Tonga is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 269 miles above the Pacific Ocean northwest of Auckland, New Zealand. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day The atmospheric plume from an underwater volcano eruption in the Pacific nation of Tonga is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 269 miles above the Pacific Ocean northwest of Auckland, New Zealand. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
The atmospheric plume from an underwater volcano eruption in the Pacific nation of Tonga is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 269 miles above the Pacific Ocean northwest of Auckland, New Zealand.
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Picture of the day Yellowbar angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This marine angelfish is distributed throughout the Persian Gulf, the northwestern Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea south to 19°S. In 2009 it was recorded off the coast of Lebanon in the eastern Mediterranean, probably as a result of Lessepsian migration from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. Pomacanthus maculosus is found at depths of between 4 and 50 metres (13 and 164 ft). It is a solitary species that lives in sheltered areas, often where there is a mixture of coral and silt. Their diet is dominated by sea sponges and tunicates, although other invertebrates will be eaten opportunistically. The females attain sexual maturity when the reach around 5.5 years of age and a total length of 21.6 centimetres (8.5 in). The maximum longevity is thought to be 36 years old. They are protogynous hermaphrodites and the older females can change sex to become males when there is a shortage of males. The larvae are planktonic. The yellowbar angelfish is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade and in some parts of the Persian Gulf it has been recorded in fish markets. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Yellowbar angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This marine angelfish is distributed throughout the Persian Gulf, the northwestern Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea south to 19°S. In 2009 it was recorded off the coast of Lebanon in the eastern Mediterranean, probably as a result of Lessepsian migration from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. Pomacanthus maculosus is found at depths of between 4 and 50 metres (13 and 164 ft). It is a solitary species that lives in sheltered areas, often where there is a mixture of coral and silt. Their diet is dominated by sea sponges and tunicates, although other invertebrates will be eaten opportunistically. The females attain sexual maturity when the reach around 5.5 years of age and a total length of 21.6 centimetres (8.5 in). The maximum longevity is thought to be 36 years old. They are protogynous hermaphrodites and the older females can change sex to become males when there is a shortage of males. The larvae are planktonic. The yellowbar angelfish is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade and in some parts of the Persian Gulf it has been recorded in fish markets. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Yellowbar angelfish (Pomacanthus maculosus), Ras Muhammad National Park, Red Sea, Egypt. This marine angelfish is distributed throughout the Persian Gulf, the northwestern Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea south to 19°S. In 2009 it was recorded off the coast of Lebanon in the eastern Mediterranean, probably as a result of Lessepsian migration from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal. Pomacanthus maculosus is found at depths of between 4 and 50 metres (13 and 164 ft). It is a solitary species that lives in sheltered areas, often where there is a mixture of coral and silt. Their diet is dominated by sea sponges and tunicates, although other invertebrates will be eaten opportunistically. The females attain sexual maturity when the reach around 5.5 years of age and a total length of 21.6 centimetres (8.5 in). The maximum longevity is thought to be 36 years old. They are protogynous hermaphrodites and the older females can change sex to become males when there is a shortage of males. The larvae are planktonic. The yellowbar angelfish is occasionally collected for the aquarium trade and in some parts of the Persian Gulf it has been recorded in fish markets.
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Where does the ‘Feast of the 7 Fishes’ Christmas Eve tradition come from? #Catholic A variety of fish dishes served on Christmas Eve. / Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA CNA Staff, Dec 24, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). There are numerous Christmas Eve traditions families around the world take part in, whether it’s watching a certain movie together, baking cookies for Santa, opening one present before going to bed, or eating a specific meal for dinner. The Feast of the Seven Fishes — in Italian “La Vigilia,” which means “The Eve” — is one of these Christmas Eve traditions.So, where does this tradition come from?This feast stems from the southern part of Italy and spans generations. Before 1861, Italy was made up of different regions. Each had its own government, however, and the southern regions were the poorest. This remained true before and after the unification of the country. The new unified government allocated many of its resources to northern Italy, which caused poverty and organized crime in the south. The area, however, though poor, was plentiful in fish since it was so close to the ocean. The Feast of the Seven Fishes tradition is also tied to the Catholic Church’s practice of not eating meat during certain times of the year — for example, on Fridays during Lent and on the eve of some holidays. The number seven is also symbolic in that it is repeated more than 700 times in the Bible, and in Catholicism there are seven sacraments, seven days of creation, and seven deadly sins. Although it is not an actual feast day on the Catholic liturgical calendar, it is definitely a feast in terms of the amount of food on the table!A traditional pasta dish served on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNAPut all these things together and that is how the Feast of the Seven Fishes began in the 1900s. Additionally, many Italians who fled the country due to poverty and immigrated to the United States brought this tradition with them, so the feast continued among many Italian Americans.So what is eaten during this seven-course meal?While there is no specific menu, there are some guidelines that are followed. The first being, of course, having seven different fish dishes. These dishes can include any type of seafood including shellfish. Based on the fish you plan to prepare, you can then determine the different courses that typically include appetizers, a soup, pasta, a side salad, and the main entrees.Many families may also include a palette cleanser, or a small fruit dish, before bringing out the highly-anticipated desserts!Some dishes include “insalata di mare” (“ocean salad”), which typically has shrimp and mussels; “insalata di polipo” (“salad with octopus”); “capestante,” which are clam shells filled with salmon, shrimp, and bechamel sauce; “linguine con frutti di mare,” which is a pasta with several different kinds of fish; and other dishes that include fried fish, eel, crab, and lobster.”Struffoli,” a traditional Neapolitan dessert eaten on Christmas Eve. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNAAnd we can’t forget dessert! “Struffoli” are little balls of fried dough covered in honey and sprinkles and are considered a Neapolitan dessert. Others include “mostaccioli” and “roccocò,” which are types of cookies, and “pandoro” and “panettone” are sweet breads.This is just a glimpse into the variety of dishes southern Italian families will spend hours preparing ahead of Christmas Eve dinner. Each family has its own fish dishes and ways of cooking them; however, one thing is for sure: You can expect to be filled to the brim with delicious food before heading off to bed.This story was first published Dec. 23, 2022, and has been updated.
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Where does the ‘Feast of the 7 Fishes’ Christmas Eve tradition come from? #Catholic A variety of fish dishes served on Christmas Eve. / Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA CNA Staff, Dec 24, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). There are numerous Christmas Eve traditions families around the world take part in, whether it’s watching a certain movie together, baking cookies for Santa, opening one present before going to bed, or eating a specific meal for dinner. The Feast of the Seven Fishes — in Italian “La Vigilia,” which means “The Eve” — is one of these Christmas Eve traditions.So, where does this tradition come from?This feast stems from the southern part of Italy and spans generations. Before 1861, Italy was made up of different regions. Each had its own government, however, and the southern regions were the poorest. This remained true before and after the unification of the country. The new unified government allocated many of its resources to northern Italy, which caused poverty and organized crime in the south. The area, however, though poor, was plentiful in fish since it was so close to the ocean. The Feast of the Seven Fishes tradition is also tied to the Catholic Church’s practice of not eating meat during certain times of the year — for example, on Fridays during Lent and on the eve of some holidays. The number seven is also symbolic in that it is repeated more than 700 times in the Bible, and in Catholicism there are seven sacraments, seven days of creation, and seven deadly sins. Although it is not an actual feast day on the Catholic liturgical calendar, it is definitely a feast in terms of the amount of food on the table!A traditional pasta dish served on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNAPut all these things together and that is how the Feast of the Seven Fishes began in the 1900s. Additionally, many Italians who fled the country due to poverty and immigrated to the United States brought this tradition with them, so the feast continued among many Italian Americans.So what is eaten during this seven-course meal?While there is no specific menu, there are some guidelines that are followed. The first being, of course, having seven different fish dishes. These dishes can include any type of seafood including shellfish. Based on the fish you plan to prepare, you can then determine the different courses that typically include appetizers, a soup, pasta, a side salad, and the main entrees.Many families may also include a palette cleanser, or a small fruit dish, before bringing out the highly-anticipated desserts!Some dishes include “insalata di mare” (“ocean salad”), which typically has shrimp and mussels; “insalata di polipo” (“salad with octopus”); “capestante,” which are clam shells filled with salmon, shrimp, and bechamel sauce; “linguine con frutti di mare,” which is a pasta with several different kinds of fish; and other dishes that include fried fish, eel, crab, and lobster.”Struffoli,” a traditional Neapolitan dessert eaten on Christmas Eve. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNAAnd we can’t forget dessert! “Struffoli” are little balls of fried dough covered in honey and sprinkles and are considered a Neapolitan dessert. Others include “mostaccioli” and “roccocò,” which are types of cookies, and “pandoro” and “panettone” are sweet breads.This is just a glimpse into the variety of dishes southern Italian families will spend hours preparing ahead of Christmas Eve dinner. Each family has its own fish dishes and ways of cooking them; however, one thing is for sure: You can expect to be filled to the brim with delicious food before heading off to bed.This story was first published Dec. 23, 2022, and has been updated.

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A variety of fish dishes served on Christmas Eve. / Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA

CNA Staff, Dec 24, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

There are numerous Christmas Eve traditions families around the world take part in, whether it’s watching a certain movie together, baking cookies for Santa, opening one present before going to bed, or eating a specific meal for dinner. The Feast of the Seven Fishes — in Italian “La Vigilia,” which means “The Eve” — is one of these Christmas Eve traditions.

So, where does this tradition come from?

This feast stems from the southern part of Italy and spans generations. Before 1861, Italy was made up of different regions. Each had its own government, however, and the southern regions were the poorest. This remained true before and after the unification of the country. The new unified government allocated many of its resources to northern Italy, which caused poverty and organized crime in the south. The area, however, though poor, was plentiful in fish since it was so close to the ocean.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes tradition is also tied to the Catholic Church’s practice of not eating meat during certain times of the year — for example, on Fridays during Lent and on the eve of some holidays.

The number seven is also symbolic in that it is repeated more than 700 times in the Bible, and in Catholicism there are seven sacraments, seven days of creation, and seven deadly sins.

Although it is not an actual feast day on the Catholic liturgical calendar, it is definitely a feast in terms of the amount of food on the table!

A traditional pasta dish served on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA
A traditional pasta dish served on Christmas Eve for the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA

Put all these things together and that is how the Feast of the Seven Fishes began in the 1900s.

Additionally, many Italians who fled the country due to poverty and immigrated to the United States brought this tradition with them, so the feast continued among many Italian Americans.

So what is eaten during this seven-course meal?

While there is no specific menu, there are some guidelines that are followed. The first being, of course, having seven different fish dishes. These dishes can include any type of seafood including shellfish. Based on the fish you plan to prepare, you can then determine the different courses that typically include appetizers, a soup, pasta, a side salad, and the main entrees.

Many families may also include a palette cleanser, or a small fruit dish, before bringing out the highly-anticipated desserts!

Some dishes include “insalata di mare” (“ocean salad”), which typically has shrimp and mussels; “insalata di polipo” (“salad with octopus”); “capestante,” which are clam shells filled with salmon, shrimp, and bechamel sauce; “linguine con frutti di mare,” which is a pasta with several different kinds of fish; and other dishes that include fried fish, eel, crab, and lobster.

"Struffoli," a traditional Neapolitan dessert eaten on Christmas Eve. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA
“Struffoli,” a traditional Neapolitan dessert eaten on Christmas Eve. Credit: Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA

And we can’t forget dessert! “Struffoli” are little balls of fried dough covered in honey and sprinkles and are considered a Neapolitan dessert. Others include “mostaccioli” and “roccocò,” which are types of cookies, and “pandoro” and “panettone” are sweet breads.

This is just a glimpse into the variety of dishes southern Italian families will spend hours preparing ahead of Christmas Eve dinner. Each family has its own fish dishes and ways of cooking them; however, one thing is for sure: You can expect to be filled to the brim with delicious food before heading off to bed.

This story was first published Dec. 23, 2022, and has been updated.

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Picture of the day Orbicular (round body) batfish (Platax orbicularis), Red Sea, Egypt. It belongs to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific but has been recorded outside its native range in the western Atlantic Ocean. The adult can reach a total length of 40 centimetres (16 in). #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Orbicular (round body) batfish (Platax orbicularis), Red Sea, Egypt. It belongs to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific but has been recorded outside its native range in the western Atlantic Ocean. The adult can reach a total length of 40 centimetres (16 in). #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Orbicular (round body) batfish (Platax orbicularis), Red Sea, Egypt. It belongs to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific but has been recorded outside its native range in the western Atlantic Ocean. The adult can reach a total length of 40 centimetres (16 in).
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Landsat 9 Sees Buccaneer Archipelago
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Landsat 9 Sees Buccaneer Archipelago

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In the sparsely populated Kimberley region of Western Australia, jagged landforms reach like fingers into the turquoise-blue ocean waters. Along the coastline north of Derby, they used to reach even farther. But rising sea levels submerged part of the coastal landscape, giving rise to hundreds of islands and low-lying reefs that compose the Buccaneer Archipelago.

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Splashes Down in Pacific Ocean
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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Splashes Down in Pacific Ocean

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Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, left, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi are seen inside the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft aboard the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON shortly after having landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. McClain, Ayers, Onishi, and Peskov returned after 147 days in space as part of Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station.

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Picture of the day Pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea), Cape Palos, region of Murcia, Spain. This species of stingray has a worldwide distribution in waters warmer than 19 °C (66 °F), and migrates seasonally to spend the summer closer to the continental shelf and at higher latitudes. The only stingray that almost exclusively inhabits the open ocean, this species is typically found in surface waters down to a depth of 100 m (330 ft). The pelagic stingray typically grows to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) long and 59 cm (23 in) across. It’s an active predator that captures prey by wrapping its pectoral fins around it, before manipulating it to the mouth. A wide variety of organisms are represented in its diet: crustaceans, molluscs, bony fishes, sea horses and filefish, comb jellies and medusae, and polychaete worms. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea), Cape Palos, region of Murcia, Spain. This species of stingray has a worldwide distribution in waters warmer than 19 °C (66 °F), and migrates seasonally to spend the summer closer to the continental shelf and at higher latitudes. The only stingray that almost exclusively inhabits the open ocean, this species is typically found in surface waters down to a depth of 100 m (330 ft). The pelagic stingray typically grows to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) long and 59 cm (23 in) across. It’s an active predator that captures prey by wrapping its pectoral fins around it, before manipulating it to the mouth. A wide variety of organisms are represented in its diet: crustaceans, molluscs, bony fishes, sea horses and filefish, comb jellies and medusae, and polychaete worms. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Pelagic stingray (Pteroplatytrygon violacea), Cape Palos, region of Murcia, Spain. This species of stingray has a worldwide distribution in waters warmer than 19 °C (66 °F), and migrates seasonally to spend the summer closer to the continental shelf and at higher latitudes. The only stingray that almost exclusively inhabits the open ocean, this species is typically found in surface waters down to a depth of 100 m (330 ft). The pelagic stingray typically grows to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) long and 59 cm (23 in) across. It’s an active predator that captures prey by wrapping its pectoral fins around it, before manipulating it to the mouth. A wide variety of organisms are represented in its diet: crustaceans, molluscs, bony fishes, sea horses and filefish, comb jellies and medusae, and polychaete worms.
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Picture of the day (purge this page’s cache) Assasi triggerfish (Rhinecanthus assasi), Red Sea, Egypt. This species of triggerfish reaches up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long, which makes them of the smallest in the family. It is tan above and white below with blue stripes between and below the eyes. R. assassi mostly lives in or near coral reefs. It occurs in the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day (purge this page’s cache) Assasi triggerfish (Rhinecanthus assasi), Red Sea, Egypt. This species of triggerfish reaches up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long, which makes them of the smallest in the family. It is tan above and white below with blue stripes between and below the eyes. R. assassi mostly lives in or near coral reefs. It occurs in the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
(purge this page’s cache)
Assasi triggerfish (Rhinecanthus assasi), Red Sea, Egypt. This species of triggerfish reaches up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long, which makes them of the smallest in the family. It is tan above and white below with blue stripes between and below the eyes. R. assassi mostly lives in or near coral reefs. It occurs in the western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.
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Picture of the day Portrait of a geometric moray (Gymnothorax griseus), Red Sea, Egypt. This moray eel belongs to the family Muraenidae and is found throughout the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea at depths to 40 metres (130 ft). Its length is up to 65 centimetres (26 in). #ImageOfTheDay
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Picture of the day Portrait of a geometric moray (Gymnothorax griseus), Red Sea, Egypt. This moray eel belongs to the family Muraenidae and is found throughout the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea at depths to 40 metres (130 ft). Its length is up to 65 centimetres (26 in). #ImageOfTheDay

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Picture of the day
Portrait of a geometric moray (Gymnothorax griseus), Red Sea, Egypt. This moray eel belongs to the family Muraenidae and is found throughout the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea at depths to 40 metres (130 ft). Its length is up to 65 centimetres (26 in).
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Milky Way on the Horizon
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Milky Way on the Horizon

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The Milky Way appears beyond Earth’s horizon in this celestial photograph captured on Jan. 29, 2025, by NASA astronaut Don Pettit using a camera with low light and long duration settings pointed out a window on the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. The International Space Station was orbiting 265 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile just before sunrise.

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