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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 "star formation"

278 results found - Page 1 of 12

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: A Star-Formation Laboratory
Image
Dec 8, 2017

A Star-Formation Laboratory

The dwarf galaxy NGC 4214 is ablaze with young stars and gas clouds. Located around 10 million light-years away in...

GSFC
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: Star Formation in Henize 206
Image
Mar 8, 2004

Star Formation in Henize 206

This image from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope, shows the wispy filamentary structure of Henize 206, is a four-color...

JPL
NASA image: Cygnus-X: The Cool Swan Glowing in Flight
Image
May 11, 2012

Cygnus-X: The Cool Swan Glowing in Flight

This new view of the Cygnus-X star-formation region by ESA Herschel Space Observatory highlights chaotic networks of...

JPL
NASA image: GLIMPSE the Galaxy All the Way Around
Image
Mar 20, 2014

GLIMPSE the Galaxy All the Way Around

This mosaic reveals a panorama of the Milky Way from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope. This picture covers only about...

JPL
NASA image: Galaxy M82
Image
Dec 2, 1999

Galaxy M82

A colorful image showing violent star formation triggered when two galaxies bumped into each other has been captured...

JPL
NASA image: Evolution of a Massive Star
Image
Jan 27, 2015

Evolution of a Massive Star

This series of images show three evolutionary phases of massive star formation, as pictured in infrared images from...

JPL
NASA image: Coronet: A Star-Formation Neighbor
Image
Sep 13, 2007

Coronet: A Star-Formation Neighbor

This composite image shows the Coronet in X-rays from Chandra and infrared from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope orange,...

JPL
NASA image: The Beginning of the End of Star Formation
Image
Apr 3, 2012

The Beginning of the End of Star Formation

Time is running out for the galaxy NGC 3801, seen in this composite image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer and...

JPL
NASA image: Pointing a Finger at Star Formation
Image
Mar 4, 2011

Pointing a Finger at Star Formation

NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, captured this image of a star-forming cloud of dust and gas located in the...

JPL
NASA image: Star Formation in the DR21 Region A
Image
Apr 13, 2004

Star Formation in the DR21 Region A

Hidden behind a shroud of dust in the constellation Cygnus is a stellar nursery called DR21, which is giving birth...

JPL
NASA image: Star Formation in the Heart of the Swan
Image
Jun 9, 2011

Star Formation in the Heart of the Swan

Best known as a swan winging its way across the night, the constellation Cygnus is easily seen in the northern...

JPL
NASA image: Infrared Coronet Cluster
Image
Sep 13, 2007

Infrared Coronet Cluster

This image from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope shows young stars plus diffuse emission from dust. The Corona Australis...

JPL
NASA image: Southern Pinwheel Galaxy M83
Image
May 5, 2005

Southern Pinwheel Galaxy M83

Ultraviolet images such as this one from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer suggest the M83 has unusual pockets of...

JPL
NASA image: Galaxies Grow from Inside Out
Image
Oct 31, 2013

Galaxies Grow from Inside Out

Evidence from NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and Galaxy Evolution Explorer missions provide support for...

JPL
NASA image: Big Black Holes Mean Bad News for Stars diagram
Image
Aug 23, 2006

Big Black Holes Mean Bad News for Stars diagram

This diagram illustrates research from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer showing that black holes once they reach a...

JPL
NASA image: Shrouded Starburst
Image
Nov 19, 2010

Shrouded Starburst

A brilliant burst of star formation is revealed in this image combining observations from NASA Spitzer and Hubble...

JPL
NASA image: Sowing the Seeds of Planets? Artist Concept
Image
Oct 20, 2005

Sowing the Seeds of Planets? Artist Concept

This artist concept shows microscopic crystals in the dusty disk surrounding a brown dwarf, or failed star. The...

JPL
NASA image: Curiosity Next Steps
Image
Sep 11, 2014

Curiosity Next Steps

The route of NASA Mars Curiosity rover up the slopes of Mount Sharp on Mars is indicated in yellow in this image....

JPL
NASA image: NGC 300
Image
Nov 14, 2007

NGC 300

This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 300, located about seven million light-years...

JPL
NASA image: A Dwarf Galaxy Star Bar and Dusty Wing
Image
Jan 10, 2012

A Dwarf Galaxy Star Bar and Dusty Wing

In combined data from ESA Herschel and NASA Spitzer telescopes, irregular distribution of dust in the Small...

JPL
NASA image: An Unwelcome Place for New Stars artist concept
Image
Aug 23, 2006

An Unwelcome Place for New Stars artist concept

This artist concept depicts a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer...

JPL
NASA image: Embryonic Star Outburst
Image
Mar 23, 2015

Embryonic Star Outburst

Infrared images from instruments at Kitt Peak National Observatory left and NASA Spitzer Space Telescope document...

JPL
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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

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