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 "Illusion"

36 results found - Page 1 of 2

NASA image: Atmospheric Illusion
Image
Aug 2, 2005

Atmospheric Illusion

Atmospheric Illusion

JPL
NASA image: An Optical Illusion
Image
Jun 22, 2012

An Optical Illusion

An Optical Illusion

JPL
NASA image: International Space Station (ISS)
Image
May 11, 2003

International Space Station (ISS)

Many odd looking moon photos have been captured over the years by astronauts aboard the International Space Station....

MSFC
NASA image: Icy Curtain Eruptions on Enceladus Create an Illusion of Discrete Jets Simulation
Image
May 6, 2015

Icy Curtain Eruptions on Enceladus Create an Illusion of Discrete Jets Simulation

This simulation, which begins and ends with a real image from NASA Cassini spacecraft, demonstrates how the...

JPL
NASA image: Dissecting a Light Echo
Image
May 29, 2008

Dissecting a Light Echo

This image illustrates how a light echo works, and how an optical illusion of material moving outward is created.

JPL
NASA image: What's Up: April 2020 Skywatching Tips from NASA
Video
Apr 1, 2020

What's Up: April 2020 Skywatching Tips from NASA

What are some astronomy highlights in the sky in April 2020? This month, Venus visits the Pleiades; Mars, Jupiter...

JPL
NASA image: iss065e050322
Image
May 21, 2021

iss065e050322

iss065e050322 (5/21/2021) --- European Space Agency astronaut (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet performing the Illusion...

JSC
NASA image: iss065e050324
Image
May 21, 2021

iss065e050324

iss065e050324 (5/21/2021) --- European Space Agency astronaut (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet performing the Illusion...

JSC
NASA image: Curious Clouds
Image
Jun 13, 2006

Curious Clouds

Saturn atmosphere produces beautiful and sometimes perplexing features. Is the bright feature below center a rare...

JPL
NASA image: Face Illusion in the Cosmic Clouds
Image
Oct 22, 2014

Face Illusion in the Cosmic Clouds

In this image of PSR B1509-58 about 170,000 light-years from Earth, X-rays from NASA Chandra in gold are seen along...

JPL
NASA image: Why Does the Moon Look Larger at the Horizon? We Asked a NASA Expert
Video
Feb 12, 2025

Why Does the Moon Look Larger at the Horizon? We Asked a NASA Expert

Ever noticed how the Moon seems HUGE when it’s near the horizon but smaller when it’s overhead? Trick of the eye or...

HQ
NASA image: Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew
Image
May 11, 2003

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition Seven crew

ISS007-E-05379 (11 May 2003) --- The moon seems to be floating inside Earth’s atmosphere as it was...

JSC
NASA image: GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-10 - LIFTOFF - KALEIDOSCOPE EFFECT - CAPE
Image
Jul 18, 1966

GEMINI-TITAN (GT)-10 - LIFTOFF - KALEIDOSCOPE EFFECT - CAPE

S66-42762 (18 July 1966) --- The Gemini-10 spacecraft is launched from Complex 19 at 5:20 p.m., July 18, 1966. A...

JSC
NASA image: iss065e050323
Image
May 21, 2021

iss065e050323

iss065e050323 (May 21, 2021) --- Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency)...

JSC
NASA image: KSC-01PP-0396
Image
Feb 20, 2001

KSC-01PP-0396

An optical illusion places Lady Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, under an external tank in...

KSC
NASA image: KSC01pp0396
Image
Feb 20, 2001

KSC01pp0396

An optical illusion places Lady Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, under an external tank in...

KSC
NASA image: Tethys Tops Saturn
Image
Jul 11, 2016

Tethys Tops Saturn

An illusion of perspective, Saturn's moon Tethys seems to hang above the planet's north pole in this view from...

JPL
NASA image: Example of Weathering And Sun Angle
Image
Dec 12, 1996

Example of Weathering And Sun Angle

The letter 'B' or perhaps the figure '8' appears to have been etched into the Mars rock at the left edge of this...

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: Earth Observations taken by Expedition 30 crewmember
Image
Jan 29, 2012

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 30 crewmember

ISS030-E-055791 (29 Jan. 2012) --- This Jan. 29 panorama of much of the East Coast, photographed by one of the...

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

Holidays in Space

At the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, Holidays in Space 2017 kicked off with a dazzling...

KSC
NASA image: History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
Image
Feb 8, 2004

History of Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

This photo, captured by the NASA Hubble Space Telescope's (HST) Advanced Camera for Surveys, is Hubble's latest view...

MSFC
NASA image: Rings Around the Pole
Image
Jan 20, 2005

Rings Around the Pole

Atmospheric features in Saturn's north polar region are revealed in spectacular detail in this Cassini image, taken...

JPL
NASA image: Nespoli conducts a test run with the French/CNES Neuroscientific Research Experiment
Image
Feb 12, 2011

Nespoli conducts a test run with the French/CNES Neuroscientific Research Experiment

ISS026-E-027000 (12 Feb. 2011) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Expedition 26 flight...

JSC
PreviousPage 1 of 2Next

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