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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 "Palomar Observatory"

18 results found

NASA image: Hale Telescope, Palomar Observatory
Image
Apr 14, 2010

Hale Telescope, Palomar Observatory

This is image is of the 200-inch Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory, located in north San Diego County,...

JPL
NASA image: Versatile Instrument to Scout for Kuiper Belt Objects
Image
Mar 3, 2016

Versatile Instrument to Scout for Kuiper Belt Objects

This image of the Crab Pulsar was taken with CHIMERA, an instrument at the Palomar Observatory, which is operated by...

JPL
NASA image: Portrait of Distant Planets
Image
Apr 14, 2010

Portrait of Distant Planets

This image taken with the Palomar Observatory Hale Telescope, shows the light from three planets orbiting a star 120...

JPL
NASA image: ARC-1983-AC83-0565-2
Image
Aug 1, 1983

ARC-1983-AC83-0565-2

Andromeda galaxy from Palomar Observatory

ARC
NASA image: Tenth Planet Discovered
Image
Aug 3, 2005

Tenth Planet Discovered

These time-lapse images of a newfound dwarf planet in our solar system, formerly known as 2003 UB313 or Xena, and...

JPL
NASA image: Planetary Family Portrait
Image
May 9, 2013

Planetary Family Portrait

This image shows the HR 8799 planets with starlight optically suppressed and data processing conducted to remove...

JPL
NASA image: Using Dark Holes to Spot Planets
Image
Jul 9, 2012

Using Dark Holes to Spot Planets

These two images show HD 157728, a nearby star 1.5 times larger than the sun. Project 1640 uses new technology on...

JPL
NASA image: ARC-1963-A-30834
Image
May 1, 1963

ARC-1963-A-30834

Credit: Mt Wilson/Palomar Observatories - NGC 224 The Great Galaxy, in Andromeda, type Sb. Shows south preceding...

ARC
NASA image: DSOC's Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detector
Image
Oct 4, 2023

DSOC's Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detector

Shown here is an identical copy of the Deep Space Optical Communications, or DSOC, superconducting nanowire...

JPL
NASA image: Testing Space Lasers for Deep Space Optical Communications (Mission Overview)
Video
Sep 29, 2023

Testing Space Lasers for Deep Space Optical Communications (Mission Overview)

How might lasers revolutionize deep space communications? NASA will test high-bandwidth laser (or optical)...

JPL
NASA image: Asteroid 2020 QG as Seen Through ZTF Telescope
Image
Aug 18, 2020

Asteroid 2020 QG as Seen Through ZTF Telescope

The streak circled in the center of this image is asteroid 2020 QG, which came closer to Earth than any other...

JPL
NASA image: DSOC's Downlink Detector Prototype
Image
Oct 4, 2023

DSOC's Downlink Detector Prototype

Shown here is a prototype of the Deep Space Optical Communications, or DSOC, ground receiver detector built by the...

JPL
NASA image: DSN's Experimental Hybrid Antenna Tracks DSOC's Laser Downlink
Image
Feb 8, 2024

DSN's Experimental Hybrid Antenna Tracks DSOC's Laser Downlink

Deep Space Station 13 (DSS-13) at NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California – part...

JPL
NASA image: Table Mountain Facility Sends DSOC Laser Beacon to NASA's Psyche (Infrared Image)
Image
Sep 18, 2025

Table Mountain Facility Sends DSOC Laser Beacon to NASA's Psyche (Infrared Image)

In this infrared photograph, the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory (OCTL) at NASA Jet Propulsion...

JPL
NASA image: Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroid 7335 1989 JA
Image
Jun 29, 2022

Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroid 7335 1989 JA

This collage and animation represent NASA radar observations of near-Earth asteroid 7335 1989 JA on May 26, 2022,...

JPL
NASA image: DSOC's Table Mountain Facility Uplink Laser – Infrared vs. Visible Light
Image
Sep 18, 2025

DSOC's Table Mountain Facility Uplink Laser – Infrared vs. Visible Light

This infrared photograph shows the uplink laser beacon for NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)...

JPL
NASA image: NASA Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space Via Laser (Media Reel)
Video
Dec 18, 2023

NASA Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space Via Laser (Media Reel)

B-roll for media and public use. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment marked a historic...

JPL
NASA image: From Taters to Terabits: NASA Wraps Up Deep Space Laser Test
Video
Sep 18, 2025

From Taters to Terabits: NASA Wraps Up Deep Space Laser Test

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration has successfully concluded after two years,...

JPL

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.

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