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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.

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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 "First Light"

1,121 results found - Page 3 of 47

NASA image: Stars Spring up Out of the Darkness  Artist Concept
Image
Dec 18, 2006

Stars Spring up Out of the Darkness Artist Concept

This artist animation illustrates the universe early years, from its explosive formation to its dark ages to its...

JPL
NASA image: The Aurora Named STEVE
Video
Mar 14, 2018

The Aurora Named STEVE

For the first time, scientists have ground and satellite views of STEVE (short for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity...

GSFC
NASA image: The Loneliest Young Star (Artist Concept)
Image
Jul 27, 2016

The Loneliest Young Star (Artist Concept)

This artist's concept shows an unusual celestial object called CX330 was first detected as a source of X-ray light...

JPL
NASA image: Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich First Light Sea Level
Image
Dec 10, 2020

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich First Light Sea Level

This graphic, released on Dec. 10, 2020, shows the first sea level measurements taken by Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich...

JPL
NASA image: First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target Under Ultraviolet Lights
Image
Jan 24, 2013

First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target Under Ultraviolet Lights

Illumination in this image comes from MAHLI two ultraviolet LEDs, which emit light in a waveband centered at a...

JPL
NASA image: First Look at Milky Way Monster in High-Energy X-ray Light
Image
Oct 23, 2012

First Look at Milky Way Monster in High-Energy X-ray Light

These images, taken by NASA black-hole hunter, NuSTAR, are the first, focused high-energy X-ray views of the area...

JPL
NASA image: AIRS First Light Data: Northern Europe, July 20, 2002
Image
Jul 13, 2002

AIRS First Light Data: Northern Europe, July 20, 2002

These images, taken over northern Europe on July 20, 2002, depict a few of the different views of Earth and its...

JPL
NASA image: AIRS First Light Data: Typhoon Ramasun, July 3, 2002
Image
Jul 3, 2002

AIRS First Light Data: Typhoon Ramasun, July 3, 2002

These four images of Tropical Cyclone Ramasun were obtained July 3, 2002 by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder...

JPL
NASA image: First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target in White Lighting
Image
Jan 24, 2013

First Night Image of MAHLI Calibration Target in White Lighting

For scale, the Lincoln penny on the MAHLI calibration target is three-fourths inch 19 millimeters in diameter. The...

JPL
NASA image: AIRS First Light Data: Eastern Mediterranean, June 14, 2002
Image
Jun 14, 2002

AIRS First Light Data: Eastern Mediterranean, June 14, 2002

These four images of the Mediterranean were obtained concurrently on June 14, 2002 from the three instruments that...

JPL
NASA image: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

Scientists presented the first images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory [SDO] during a special "first...

GSFC
NASA image: ACD17-0154-004
Image
Aug 21, 2017

ACD17-0154-004

2017 Solar Eclipse first images from Oregon State Fair Grounds, Salem, Oregon. This image taken at 10:19:24 on...

ARC
NASA image: Rho Ophiuchi Imaged by IRAS
Image
Dec 22, 2023

Rho Ophiuchi Imaged by IRAS

This image of the star-forming region Rho Ophiuchi was taken in 1983 by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS),...

JPL
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Apr 15, 2004

Microgravity

Astroculture is a suite of technologies used to produce and maintain a closed controlled environment for plant...

MSFC
NASA image: Microgravity
Image
Apr 15, 2004

Microgravity

Astroculture is a suite of technologies used to produce and maintain a closed controlled environment for plant...

MSFC
NASA image: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

Scientists presented the first images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory [SDO] during a special "first...

GSFC
NASA image: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Unveils New Images

Scientists presented the first images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory [SDO] during a special "first...

GSFC
NASA image: KSC-81PC-0136
Image
Mar 5, 1981

KSC-81PC-0136

A timed exposure of the first Space Shuttle, STS-1, at Launch Pad A, Complex 39, turns the space vehicle and support...

KSC
NASA image: NASA Minute: Dec. 19, 2025
Video
Dec 19, 2025

NASA Minute: Dec. 19, 2025

This week, Jared Isaacman was sworn in as NASA Administrator, DiskSat launched aboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket,...

HQ
NASA image: Layers along a Pit in Coprates Catena
Image
Mar 5, 2018

Layers along a Pit in Coprates Catena

This image from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) shows the western wall of a small pit that is located along...

JPL
NASA image: From Hot to Hottest
Image
Oct 31, 2017

From Hot to Hottest

This sequence of images shows the sun from its surface to its upper atmosphere all taken at about the same time...

JPL
NASA image: Holidays in Space
Image
Dec 20, 2017

Holidays in Space

At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, the first night of Holidays in Space 2017 ended with a...

KSC
NASA image: Landslides in Cerberus Fossae
Image
Apr 16, 2019

Landslides in Cerberus Fossae

Cerberus Fossae is a steep-sided set of troughs cutting volcanic plains to the east of Elysium Mons. Steep slopes on...

JPL
NASA image: iss070e022671
Image
Nov 10, 2023

iss070e022671

iss070e022671 (Nov. 10, 2023) --- The sun's first rays begin illuminating Earth's atmosphere in this photograph from...

JSC
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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

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Mission updates & discoveries