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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 "milky way"

655 results found - Page 1 of 28

NASA image: Milky Way Untangled
Image
Feb 5, 2015

Milky Way Untangled

A new, dynamic portrait of our Milky Way galaxy shows a frenzy of gas, charged particles and dust as seen by the...

JPL
NASA image: A Break in the Milky Way's Sagittarius Arm
Image
Aug 17, 2021

A Break in the Milky Way's Sagittarius Arm

A contingent of young stars and star-forming gas clouds is sticking out of one of the Milky Way's spiral arms like a...

JPL
NASA image: Star Map of the Milky Way's Outer Halo
Image
Apr 21, 2021

Star Map of the Milky Way's Outer Halo

Images of the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) are overlaid on a map of the surrounding area, our...

JPL
NASA image: A Milky Way Mixer Amongst the Stars
Image
Feb 5, 2015

A Milky Way Mixer Amongst the Stars

This composite image comes from the ESA Planck shows a festive portrait of our Milky Way galaxy shows a mishmash of...

JPL
NASA image: A Glimpse of the Milky Way
Image
Dec 13, 2005

A Glimpse of the Milky Way

In visible light, the bulk of our Milky Way galaxy stars are eclipsed behind thick clouds of galactic dust and gas....

JPL
NASA image: The Milky Way Center Aglow with Dust
Image
Jan 10, 2006

The Milky Way Center Aglow with Dust

Our Milky Way is a dusty place. So dusty that we cannot see the center of the galaxy in visible light. Thanks to...

JPL
NASA image: Inner Milky Way Raging with Star Formation
Image
Jun 3, 2008

Inner Milky Way Raging with Star Formation

More than 444,580 frames from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope were stitched together to create this portrait of the...

JPL
NASA image: Spitzer Finds Clarity in the Inner Milky Way
Image
Jun 3, 2008

Spitzer Finds Clarity in the Inner Milky Way

More than 800,000 frames from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope were stitched together to create this infrared portrait...

JPL
NASA image: Polarized Dust Lights Up Milky Way
Image
Feb 5, 2015

Polarized Dust Lights Up Milky Way

Our Milky Way galaxy is ablaze with dust in this new all-sky map from Planck, a European Space Agency mission with...

JPL
NASA image: Our Milky Way Gets a Makeover  Artist Concept
Image
Jun 3, 2008

Our Milky Way Gets a Makeover Artist Concept

This artist concept illustrates the new view of the Milky Way. The galaxy two major arms can be seen attached to the...

JPL
NASA image: The Milky Way appears behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour
Image
Jul 1, 2024

The Milky Way appears behind the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour

iss071e256593 (July 1, 2024) --- The Milky Way appears in the vastness of space behind the dimly lit SpaceX Dragon...

JSC
NASA image: A monster in the Milky Way
Image
Dec 8, 2017

A monster in the Milky Way

This image shows the star-studded center of the Milky Way towards the constellation of Sagittarius. The crowded...

GSFC
NASA image: Magnetic Map of Milky Way
Image
May 6, 2014

Magnetic Map of Milky Way

The magnetic field of our Milky Way galaxy as seen by ESA Planck satellite. This image was compiled from the first...

JPL
NASA image: Tracing the Arms of our Milky Way Galaxy
Image
Jun 3, 2015

Tracing the Arms of our Milky Way Galaxy

Astronomers using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, are helping to trace the shape of...

JPL
NASA image: Extra X-rays at the Hub of Our Milky Way Galaxy
Image
Apr 29, 2015

Extra X-rays at the Hub of Our Milky Way Galaxy

NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has captured a new high-energy X-ray view (magenta, Figure...

JPL
NASA image: A Cauldron of Stars at the Galaxy Center
Image
Jan 10, 2006

A Cauldron of Stars at the Galaxy Center

This dazzling infrared image from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope shows hundreds of thousands of stars crowded into the...

JPL
NASA image: Big Brother to the Milky Way
Image
Jun 28, 2013

Big Brother to the Milky Way

This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows NGC 6744, one of the galaxies most similar to our Milky Way in...

JPL
NASA image: SST and the Milky Way, an Artist Concept
Image
Mar 22, 2003

SST and the Milky Way, an Artist Concept

NASA Spitzer Space Telescope whizzes in front of a brilliant, infrared view of the Milky Way galaxy plane in this...

JPL
NASA image: Astronomers Discover Dizzying Spin of the Milky Way Galaxy’s “Halo”
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Astronomers Discover Dizzying Spin of the Milky Way Galaxy’s “Halo”

Our Milky Way galaxy and its small companions are surrounded by a giant halo of million-degree gas (seen in blue in...

GSFC
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: Baby Stars Finally Found in Jumbled Galactic Center
Image
Jun 10, 2009

Baby Stars Finally Found in Jumbled Galactic Center

This infrared image from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope shows three baby stars in the bustling center of our Milky Way...

JPL
NASA image: Our Sun Came Late to the Milky Way’s Star-Birth Party
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Our Sun Came Late to the Milky Way’s Star-Birth Party

Caption: Artist's view of night sky from a hypothetical planet within a young Milky Way-like galaxy 10 billion years...

GSFC
NASA image: Finding Bubbles in the Milky Way
Image
Mar 8, 2012

Finding Bubbles in the Milky Way

A team of volunteers from the general public has pored over observations from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope and...

JPL
NASA image: Festive Nebulas Light Up Milky Way Galaxy Satellite
Image
Dec 8, 2017

Festive Nebulas Light Up Milky Way Galaxy Satellite

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured two festive-looking nebulas, situated so as to appear as one. They reside in...

GSFC
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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

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