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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 "star formation"

278 results found - Page 3 of 12

NASA image: Smoke ring for a halo
Image
Oct 26, 2015

Smoke ring for a halo

Two stars shine through the centre of a ring of cascading dust in this image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space...

GSFC
NASA image: History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Image
Jan 2, 1997

History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

What look like giant twisters are spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These images are, in actuality,...

MSFC
NASA image: A Mirror for NASA's Antarctic Balloon Mission
Image
Jun 29, 2022

A Mirror for NASA's Antarctic Balloon Mission

The 8.2-foot (2.5-meter) primary mirror on NASA's Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution...

JPL
NASA image: A Lightweight Cradle for ASTHROS' Mirror
Image
Jun 29, 2022

A Lightweight Cradle for ASTHROS' Mirror

Known as the cradle, the structure that supports the primary mirror on NASA's Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope...

JPL
NASA image: A Crisp Infrared Image on an ASTHROS Mirror Panel
Image
Jun 29, 2022

A Crisp Infrared Image on an ASTHROS Mirror Panel

A gold-coated mirror panel on NASA's Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations...

JPL
NASA image: Nine-Paneled Mirror for ASTHROS
Image
Jun 29, 2022

Nine-Paneled Mirror for ASTHROS

The mirror on NASA's Astrophysics Stratospheric Telescope for High Spectral Resolution Observations at...

JPL
NASA image: Galaxy Messier 51
Image
Jul 25, 2003

Galaxy Messier 51

NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer took this image of the spiral galaxy Messier 51 on June 19 and 20, 2003. Messier 51...

JPL
NASA image: Galaxy NGC5398
Image
Jul 25, 2003

Galaxy NGC5398

This is an ultraviolet color image of the galaxy NGC5398 taken by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 7, 2003....

JPL
NASA image: Hubble Sees a Youthful Cluster
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Sees a Youthful Cluster

Shown here in a new image taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on board the NASA/ESA Hubble Space...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Eyes Galactic Refurbishment
Image
Apr 30, 2015

Hubble Eyes Galactic Refurbishment

The smudge of stars at the center of this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is a galaxy known as UGC 5797. UGC...

GSFC
NASA image: KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 aircraft takes off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Pegasus XL rocket/Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) under its belly. Release of the Pegasus was scheduled for about 8 a.m. over the Atlantic Ocean at an altitude of 39,000 feet at a location approximately 100 nautical miles offshore east-northeast of Cape Canaveral. Spacecraft separation from the Pegasus occurs 11 minutes later. At that time the satellite will be in a circular orbit of 431 statute miles (690 km) at a 29-degree inclination. The GALEX will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.
Image
Apr 28, 2003

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 aircraft takes off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Pegasus XL rocket/Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) under its belly. Release of the Pegasus was scheduled for about 8 a.m. over the Atlantic Ocean at an altitude of 39,000 feet at a location approximately 100 nautical miles offshore east-northeast of Cape Canaveral. Spacecraft separation from the Pegasus occurs 11 minutes later. At that time the satellite will be in a circular orbit of 431 statute miles (690 km) at a 29-degree inclination. The GALEX will carry into space an orbiting telescope that will observe a million galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history to help astronomers determine when the stars and elements we see today had their origins. The spacecraft will sweep the skies for 28 months using state-of-the-art ultraviolet detectors to single out galaxies dominated by young, hot, short-lived stars that give off a great deal of energy at that wavelength. These galaxies are actively creating stars, and therefore provide a window into the history and causes of star formation in galaxies.

NASA image: Evolution in slow motion
Image
Sep 14, 2015

Evolution in slow motion

It is known today that merging galaxies play a large role in the evolution of galaxies and the formation of...

GSFC
NASA image: Silicate Crystal Formation in the Disk of an Erupting Star Artist Concept
Image
May 13, 2009

Silicate Crystal Formation in the Disk of an Erupting Star Artist Concept

This artist's concept illustrates how silicate crystals like those found in comets can be created by an outburst...

JPL
NASA image: Artist Concept: Active Black Hole Squashes Star Formation
Image
May 9, 2012

Artist Concept: Active Black Hole Squashes Star Formation

Herschel Space Observatory has shown that galaxies with the most powerful, active, supermassive black holes at their...

JPL
NASA image: Hubble Captures Bubbles And Baby Stars
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Captures Bubbles And Baby Stars

Image release June 22, 2010 A spectacular new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image — one of the largest ever...

GSFC
NASA image: Space Science
Image
Jan 1, 2004

Space Science

Released to commemorate the 14th anniversary of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is the image of a galaxy...

MSFC
NASA image: Hubble Sees an Intriguing Young-Looking Dwarf Galaxy
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Sees an Intriguing Young-Looking Dwarf Galaxy

The bright streak of glowing gas and stars in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is known as PGC 51017, or...

GSFC
NASA image: Starburst Cluster Shows Celestial Fireworks
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Starburst Cluster Shows Celestial Fireworks

NASA image release June 6, 2010 Like a July 4 fireworks display a young, glittering collection of stars looks like...

GSFC
NASA image: Space Science
Image
Jan 1, 2002

Space Science

This is an artist's impression of how the very early universe (less than one billion years old) might have looked...

MSFC
NASA image: Hubble Uncovers a Mysterious Hermit
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Uncovers a Mysterious Hermit

This irregular dwarf galaxy's closes neighbor is 2.3 million light years away, so yeah, we're calling it...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Spots an Irregular Island in a Sea of Space
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Spots an Irregular Island in a Sea of Space

This image, courtesy of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), captures the glow...

GSFC
NASA image: KSC-03pd1238
Image
Apr 24, 2003

KSC-03pd1238

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The mated Pegasus XL and Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite arrive at Cape...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-03pd0740
Image
Mar 13, 2003

KSC-03pd0740

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer is prepared...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-03pd1243
Image
Apr 24, 2003

KSC-03pd1243

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, workers prepare to attach the mated Pegasus XL and...

KSC
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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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Curiosity & Perseverance images

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DSCOVR EPIC daily images

Launch Schedule

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Space News

Mission updates & discoveries

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 aircraft takes off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station...

KSC