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 "Lightning"

1,452 results found - Page 5 of 61

NASA image: KSC-2009-1078
Image
Jan 8, 2009

KSC-2009-1078

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A closeup of the replacement weather Doppler radar being installed in a remote field located...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-1077
Image
Jan 8, 2009

KSC-2009-1077

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A closeup of the replacement weather Doppler radar being installed in a remote field located...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-1562
Image
Feb 12, 2009

KSC-2009-1562

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The faint sunrise sky over NASA's Kennedy Space Center casts the newly erected lightning...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-1001
Image
Jan 2, 2009

KSC-2009-1001

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a crane completes construction...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-1002
Image
Jan 2, 2009

KSC-2009-1002

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, equipment surrounds the service...

KSC
NASA image: Radiation Generated in Electric Fields Over Thunderstorms
Video
Sep 17, 2010

Radiation Generated in Electric Fields Over Thunderstorms

The small satellite, with a big mission, is appropriately named "Firefly." Sponsored by the National Science...

GSFC
NASA image: Earth Science
Image
Aug 29, 1990

Earth Science

Multiple lightning bolts struck the Technology Test Bed, formerly the S-IC Static Test Stand, at the Marshall Space...

MSFC
NASA image: Lightning Flashes and Gravity Waves in Tropical Cyclone Mahasen
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Lightning Flashes and Gravity Waves in Tropical Cyclone Mahasen

Tropical Cyclone Mahasen is moving north through the Indian Ocean along a track that places landfall along the...

GSFC
NASA image: KSC-2009-2252
Image
Mar 19, 2009

KSC-2009-2252

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-2255
Image
Mar 19, 2009

KSC-2009-2255

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-2254
Image
Mar 19, 2009

KSC-2009-2254

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-2251
Image
Mar 19, 2009

KSC-2009-2251

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being...

KSC
NASA image: KSC-2009-2253
Image
Mar 19, 2009

KSC-2009-2253

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being...

KSC
NASA image: Firefly Sees Electrons Populate the Radiation Belts
Video
Sep 17, 2010

Firefly Sees Electrons Populate the Radiation Belts

The small satellite, with a big mission, is appropriately named "Firefly." Sponsored by the National Science...

GSFC
NASA image: Dry Conditions and Lightning Strikes Make for a Long California Fire Season
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Dry Conditions and Lightning Strikes Make for a Long California Fire Season

The fire season in California has been anything but cooperative this year. Hot conditions combined with a state-wide...

GSFC
NASA image: Orion Environmental Test Article (ETA) Lightning Test at the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
Image
Feb 20, 2024

Orion Environmental Test Article (ETA) Lightning Test at the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Glenn Research Center

Experts at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, conducted a lightning test, which simulates the...

GRC
NASA image: Orion Environmental Test Article (ETA) Lightning Test at the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
Image
Feb 20, 2024

Orion Environmental Test Article (ETA) Lightning Test at the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Glenn Research Center

Experts at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, conducted a lightning test, which simulates the...

GRC
NASA image: Indonesian city lights and lightning storms streak below
Image
Jun 20, 2025

Indonesian city lights and lightning storms streak below

iss073e0251575 (June 20, 2025) --- This long-duration photograph was taken from the International Space Station...

JSC
NASA image: Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick
Image
Jun 20, 2025

Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick

iss073e0332020 (June 20, 2025) --- Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick as it stormed across...

JSC
NASA image: Lightning illuminates the clouds above Southeast Asia
Image
May 25, 2025

Lightning illuminates the clouds above Southeast Asia

iss073e0204297 (May 25, 2025) --- Lightning illuminates the clouds (left), city lights line the coast of Vietnam,...

JSC
NASA image: Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick
Image
Jun 20, 2025

Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick

iss073e0330134 (June 20, 2025) --- Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick as it stormed across...

JSC
NASA image: Lightning illuminates the clouds above Southeast Asia
Image
May 25, 2025

Lightning illuminates the clouds above Southeast Asia

iss073e0204578 (May 25, 2025) --- Lightning illuminates the clouds (top left) above Southeast Asia in this...

JSC
NASA image: Lightning strikes illuminate the stormy cloud tops
Image
Jul 28, 2025

Lightning strikes illuminate the stormy cloud tops

iss073e0566536 (July 28, 2025) --- Lightning strikes illuminate the stormy cloud tops above the Democratic Republic...

JSC
NASA image: Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick
Image
Jun 20, 2025

Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick

iss073e0330560 (June 20, 2025) --- Lightning illuminates the cloud tops of Tropical Storm Erick as it stormed across...

JSC
PreviousPage 5 of 61Next

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