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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 "galactic core"

21 results found

NASA image: Hustle and Bustle at Center of Milky Way
Image
May 7, 2013

Hustle and Bustle at Center of Milky Way

This artist concept illustrates the frenzied activity at the core of our Milky Way galaxy. The galactic center hosts...

JPL
NASA image: SOFIA Reveals New View of Milky Way’s Center
Video
Jan 3, 2020

SOFIA Reveals New View of Milky Way’s Center

NASA’s flying telescope SOFIA captured a crisp infrared image of the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Spanning more...

ARC
NASA image: Great Observatories Unique Views of the Milky Way
Image
Nov 10, 2009

Great Observatories Unique Views of the Milky Way

In celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, NASA's Great Observatories -- the Hubble Space...

JPL
NASA image: Through the elliptical haze
Image
Nov 30, 2015

Through the elliptical haze

Like a lighthouse in the fog the luminous core of NGC 2768 slowly fades outwards to a dull white haze in this image...

GSFC
NASA image: NASA Telescopes Uncover Early Construction of Giant Galaxy
Image
Dec 8, 2017

NASA Telescopes Uncover Early Construction of Giant Galaxy

Astronomers have for the first time caught a glimpse of the earliest stages of massive galaxy construction. The...

GSFC
NASA image: History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory
Image
Jul 1, 2001

History of Chandra X-Ray Observatory

The Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) has made a sturning, high-energy panorama of the central regions of our Milky...

MSFC
NASA image: Supermassive and super-hungry
Image
Jan 4, 2016

Supermassive and super-hungry

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 4845, located over 65 million light-years...

GSFC
NASA image: Elegant spiral hides a hungry monster
Image
Oct 12, 2015

Elegant spiral hides a hungry monster

NGC 4639 is a beautiful example of a type of galaxy known as a barred spiral. It lies over 70 million light-years...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Eyes a Powerful Galaxy
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Eyes a Powerful Galaxy

Not all galaxies have the luxury of possessing a simple moniker or quirky nickname. This impressive galaxy imaged by...

GSFC
NASA image: Where Galactic Snakes Live
Image
Oct 27, 2006

Where Galactic Snakes Live

This infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows what astronomers are referring to as a "snake" (upper...

JPL
NASA image: Hubble Sees a Supermassive and Super-hungry Galaxy
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Sees a Supermassive and Super-hungry Galaxy

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the spiral galaxy NGC 4845, located over 65 million light-years...

GSFC
NASA image: A galactic maelstrom
Image
Aug 31, 2015

A galactic maelstrom

This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows Messier 96, a spiral galaxy just over 35 million light-years away in...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Views a Galaxy Fit to Burst
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Views a Galaxy Fit to Burst

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals the vibrant core of the galaxy NGC 3125. Discovered by John...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble’s Hidden Galaxy
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble’s Hidden Galaxy

IC 342 is a challenging cosmic target. Although it is bright, the galaxy sits near the equator of the Milky Way’s...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Sees Elegant Spiral Hiding a Hungry Monster
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Sees Elegant Spiral Hiding a Hungry Monster

NGC 4639 is a beautiful example of a type of galaxy known as a barred spiral. It lies over 70 million light-years...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Catches a Transformation in the Virgo Constellation
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Catches a Transformation in the Virgo Constellation

The constellation of Virgo (The Virgin) is especially rich in galaxies, due in part to the presence of a massive and...

GSFC
NASA image: Bursting at the seams
Image
Jun 27, 2016

Bursting at the seams

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals the iridescent interior of one of the most active galaxies in our...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Gazes Into a Black Hole of Puzzling Light
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Gazes Into a Black Hole of Puzzling Light

The beautiful spiral galaxy visible in the center of the image is known as RX J1140.1+0307, a galaxy in the Virgo...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Hotbed of Vigorous Star Formation
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Hotbed of Vigorous Star Formation

This galaxy is currently a hotbed of vigorous star formation. NGC 1569 is a starburst galaxy, meaning that — as the...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Peers Through the Elliptical Haze
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Peers Through the Elliptical Haze

Like a lighthouse in the fog, the luminous core of NGC 2768 slowly fades outwards to a dull white haze in this image...

GSFC
NASA image: Hubble Peers into the Heart of a Galactic Maelstrom
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Hubble Peers into the Heart of a Galactic Maelstrom

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows Messier 96, a spiral galaxy just over 35 million light-years away...

GSFC

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