CosmosObservatory
Explore
Solar System
Live
Learn
Tools
About
Cosmos Observatory
ToolsAbout
Cosmos Observatory

Explore the universe through NASA data, real-time ISS tracking, Mars rover imagery, asteroid monitoring, and comprehensive space encyclopedia. Your gateway to the cosmos.

Explore

  • APOD
  • Mars Rovers
  • Earth Imagery
  • NASA Gallery
  • ISS Tracker

Data

  • Asteroids
  • Solar System
  • Exoplanets
  • Space Weather
  • Launches

Tools

  • Glossary
  • News
  • Calculators

Legal

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Space Tools
  • Contact

Stay updated with the cosmos

Get weekly digests of APOD highlights, upcoming launches, and space events.

© 2026 Cosmos Observatory. All rights reserved. Built with for space enthusiasts.

This website is not affiliated with, maintained, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with NASA or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. All NASA imagery is in the public domain unless otherwise noted. Data sourced from NASA Open APIs, Launch Library 2, and other open data services.

NASA Gallery

Explore NASA's vast collection of space images, videos, and audio from missions past and present.

  1. Home
  2. /
  3. NASA Gallery

NASA's Image and Video Library: A Visual Archive of Space Exploration

NASA's Image and Video Library is one of the most comprehensive public archives of space imagery in the world, containing over 140,000 images, videos, and audio recordings spanning more than six decades of space exploration. From the earliest Mercury and Gemini missions through the Apollo Moon landings, the Space Shuttle era, and today's cutting-edge observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, this collection documents humanity's journey into the cosmos.

The library includes imagery from diverse sources: telescopes like Hubble and Webb that capture deep-space nebulae, galaxies, and exoplanets; planetary missions like the Mars rovers ( browse Mars photos) and Cassini at Saturn; Earth observation satellites ( see EPIC imagery); astronaut photography from the ISS; and documentation of rocket launches, spacecraft assembly, and ground testing. Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to download at full resolution for educational, editorial, and personal use.

Use the search bar above to find specific subjects — try queries like "Apollo 11," "Hubble Deep Field," "Mars surface," or "astronaut EVA." You can also filter by media type (image, video, or audio). For a daily curated experience, visit the Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Showing results for "SURFACE WAVES"

358 results found - Page 1 of 15

NASA image: Heat Wave Surface Temperature
Image
Jul 8, 2021

Heat Wave Surface Temperature

An unprecedented heat wave that started around June 26, 2021, smashed numerous all-time temperature records in the...

JPL
NASA image: Downwelling Kelvin Wave in the Pacific
Image
Jun 6, 2018

Downwelling Kelvin Wave in the Pacific

Images from the U.S./European Jason-3 satellite show sea surface height with respect to the seasonal cycle and the...

JPL
NASA image: ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project
Image
Jul 28, 2022

ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project

The Dust Concentration Monitor and the Millimeter Wave Doppler Radar undergo testing inside a regolith bin at the...

KSC
NASA image: ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project
Image
Jul 28, 2022

ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project

A team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida assesses the Dust Concentration Monitor and the Millimeter Wave...

KSC
NASA image: ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project
Image
Jul 28, 2022

ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project

A team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida assesses the Dust Concentration Monitor and the Millimeter Wave...

KSC
NASA image: ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project
Image
Jul 28, 2022

ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project

A team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida assesses the Dust Concentration Monitor and the Millimeter Wave...

KSC
NASA image: ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project
Image
Jul 28, 2022

ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project

A team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida assesses the Dust Concentration Monitor and the Millimeter Wave...

KSC
NASA image: ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project
Image
Jul 28, 2022

ESDMD Plume Surface Interaction Project

The Dust Concentration Monitor and the Millimeter Wave Doppler Radar undergo testing inside a regolith bin at the...

KSC
NASA image: STS-54 Earth observation of a ship wake in the Bay of Bengal
Image
Jan 19, 1993

STS-54 Earth observation of a ship wake in the Bay of Bengal

STS054-72-056 (13-19 Jan 1993) --- A ship wake in the Bay of Bengal is noticeable in this 70mm frame. The sun glint...

JSC
NASA image: July 2021 Heat Wave Surface Temperature
Image
Jul 15, 2021

July 2021 Heat Wave Surface Temperature

Collecting temperature readings in the atmosphere and at the surface, NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)...

JPL
NASA image: El Niño Surges; Warm Kelvin Wave Headed for South America
Image
Dec 17, 2009

El Niño Surges; Warm Kelvin Wave Headed for South America

The most recent sea-level height data from the NASA/European Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason-2 oceanography...

JPL
NASA image: Waves That Feed El Niños
Image
Oct 29, 2009

Waves That Feed El Niños

Pools of warm water known as Kelvin waves can be seen traveling eastward along the equator black line in this image...

JPL
NASA image: RIMFAX at Work on NASA's Perseverance (Illustration)
Image
Oct 8, 2020

RIMFAX at Work on NASA's Perseverance (Illustration)

Perseverance's Radar Imager for Mars' Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX) uses radar waves to probe the ground, revealing...

JPL
NASA image: Open ocean Internal Waves, Namibia Coast, Africa.
Image
Dec 10, 1990

Open ocean Internal Waves, Namibia Coast, Africa.

These open ocean Internal Waves were seen off the Namibia Coast, Africa (19.5S, 11.5E). The periodic and regularly...

JSC
NASA image: Open ocean Internal Waves, Namibia Coast, Africa.
Image
Dec 10, 1990

Open ocean Internal Waves, Namibia Coast, Africa.

These open ocean Internal Waves were seen off the Namibia Coast, Africa (23.0S, 14.0E). The periodic and regularly...

JSC
NASA image: Rhythmic Layers East of Medusae Fossae
Image
Jun 12, 2019

Rhythmic Layers East of Medusae Fossae

The surface of this image looks wavy, like that of the sea. These wave shapes are the result of erosion: the removal...

JPL
NASA image: Los Angeles Heat Wave
Image
Aug 19, 2020

Los Angeles Heat Wave

This temperature map shows the land surface temperatures throughout Los Angeles County on Aug. 14, 2020. The...

JPL
NASA image: Death Valley Heats Up
Image
Aug 19, 2020

Death Valley Heats Up

This temperature map shows the land surface temperatures around Death Valley in California's Mojave Desert on Aug....

JPL
NASA image: Converging Oceaniac Internal Waves, Somalia, Africa
Image
Oct 3, 1988

Converging Oceaniac Internal Waves, Somalia, Africa

The arculate fronts of these apparently converging internal waves off the northeast coast of Somalia (11.5N, 51.5E)...

JSC
NASA image: Rossby Waves on the Sun Could Aid in Space Weather Prediction
Video
Mar 30, 2017

Rossby Waves on the Sun Could Aid in Space Weather Prediction

To predict weather on a planet, we look at Rossby waves, large movement patterns in the atmosphere, like the jet...

GSFC
NASA image: Internal waves, Andaman Sea
Image
Sep 30, 1994

Internal waves, Andaman Sea

STS068-236-044 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- These internal waves in the Andaman Sea, west of Burma, were...

JSC
NASA image: Internal Waves, Western Indian Ocean
Image
Dec 1, 1991

Internal Waves, Western Indian Ocean

STS044-79-077 (24 Nov.-1 Dec. 1991) --- This photograph, captured from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis,...

JSC
NASA image: NASA/French Satellite Data Reveal New Details of Tsunami
Image
Jan 12, 2005

NASA/French Satellite Data Reveal New Details of Tsunami

Displayed in blue color is the height of sea surface (shown in blue) measured by the Jason satellite two hours after...

JPL
NASA image: Strait of Gibraltar as seen from STS-60
Image
Feb 9, 1994

Strait of Gibraltar as seen from STS-60

STS060-88-070 (3-11 Feb 1994) --- This view shows sunglint in the Strait of Gibralter. In this photograph a high...

JSC
PreviousPage 1 of 15Next

Frequently Asked Questions About NASA Images

Are NASA images free to use?+
Yes, most NASA images are in the public domain and are free to use for educational, informational, and personal purposes. NASA's media usage guidelines state that NASA material is not copyrighted unless otherwise noted. However, the NASA logo and certain insignia are protected. Some images may include identifiable individuals or third-party content that requires additional permissions. Always check the specific image's usage rights and credit NASA as the source.
How many images does NASA have?+
NASA's Image and Video Library contains over 140,000 publicly accessible images, videos, and audio files spanning the agency's entire history, from the Mercury program of the 1960s to the latest James Webb Space Telescope discoveries. The collection grows daily as new missions capture imagery and archival materials are digitized. Individual mission archives, such as Mars rover photos, contain hundreds of thousands of additional images.
Can I download NASA images?+
Yes, you can download NASA images in multiple resolutions directly from this gallery. Each image detail page provides download links for original (full resolution), large (1920px), medium (960px), small (480px), and thumbnail sizes. NASA encourages the public to use these images for education, media, and personal projects. High-resolution originals are ideal for printing and professional use.

Explore More NASA Content

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Daily curated space image

Mars Rover Photos

Curiosity & Perseverance images

Earth from Space

DSCOVR EPIC daily images

Launch Schedule

Upcoming rocket launches

Space News

Mission updates & discoveries