The Galactic Center

Mather Point

Cosmological Masterpiece

Curiosity Self-Portrait at Martian Sand Dune

This self-portrait of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at "Namib Dune," where the rover's activities included scuffing into the dune with a wheel and scooping samples of sand for laboratory analysis.

NASA Observes Day of Remembrance

Chuck Resnik, brother of Space Shuttle Challenger astronaut Judith Resnik, left, and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, right, visit the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial during a wreath laying ceremony that was part of NASA's Day of Remembrance on the 30th anniversary of the Challenger accident, January 28, 2016, at Arlington National Cemetery. via NASA http://ift.tt/1OSseWB

Engineers Mark Completion of Orion’s Pressure Vessel

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is another step closer to launching on its first mission to deep space atop the agency’s Space Launch System rocket. On Jan. 13, technicians at Michoud Assembly Facility finished welding together the primary structure of the Orion spacecraft destined for deep space, marking another important step on the journey to Mars. via NASA http://ift.tt/1OPBnPJ

Space Station Flyover of the Mediterranean

Expedition 46 flight engineer Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (ESA) shared this stunning nighttime photograph with his social media followers on Jan. 25, 2016, writing, "Beautiful night pass over Italy, Alps and Mediterranean." via NASA http://ift.tt/201CFPP

A Half-Enceladus

This half-lit view of Enceladus bears a passing resemblance to similar views of Earth's own natural satellite, but the similarities end there. via NASA http://ift.tt/1UmfrwW

2016 Blizzard by Moonlight

An image from Suomi NPP shows the Eastern United States covered with snow and lit by a blizzard. via NASA http://ift.tt/1PqCo4e

Blizzard Bears Down on U.S. East Coast

NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite snapped this image of the blizzard approaching the U.S. East coast around 2:35 a.m. EST on Jan. 22, 2016 using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument's Day-Night band. via NASA http://ift.tt/1NpA4CQ

Major Winter Storm Headed For Eastern U.S.

NASA and NOAA satellites are tracking a large winter storm that is expected to bring heavy snowfall to the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region on Jan. 22 and 23. Data from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP and NOAA's GOES-East satellite were used to create images and an animation of the movement of the powerful storm. via NASA http://ift.tt/1PqWTr2

Aurora and the Pacific Northwest

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and ESA astronaut Tim Peake shared a series of aurora photographs taken from the International Space Station on Jan. 20, 2016. Kelly wrote, "#goodmorning #aurora and the Pacific Northwest! #YearInSpace" and Peakefollowed up with, "Getting a photo masterclass from @StationCDRKelly – magical #aurora" via NASA http://ift.tt/1lvCOYX

First Flower Grown in Space Station's Veggie Facility

On Jan. 16, 2016, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly shared photographs of a blooming zinnia flower in the Veggie plant growth system aboard the International Space Station. Kelly wrote, "Yes, there are other life forms in space! #SpaceFlower #YearInSpace" via NASA http://ift.tt/1PDkPbc

First Flower Grown in Space

On Jan. 16, 2016, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly shared photographs of a blooming zinnia flower in the Veggie plant growth facility on the International Space Station. Kelly wrote, "First ever flower grown in space makes its debut!" and "Yes, there are other life forms in space! #SpaceFlower #YearInSpace" via NASA http://ift.tt/1JfKxWu

Jason-3 Satellite Launches

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen as it launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 4 East with the Jason-3 spacecraft onboard, , Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. via NASA http://ift.tt/1Rux4gf

Jason-3 Satellite Prepared For Launch

In the SpaceX Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Jason-3 satellite is prepared for encapsulation in its payload faring. Liftoff of Jason-3 atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for the opening of a 30-second launch window at 10:42:18 a.m. PST (1:42 EST) on Sunday, Jan. 17. via NASA http://ift.tt/1U0gpiu

Pluto’s Wright Mons in Color

Scientists with NASA’s New Horizons mission have assembled this highest-resolution color view of one of two potential cryovolcanoes spotted on the surface of Pluto by the New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. via NASA http://ift.tt/1nlrIaw

New Seafloor Map Helps Scientists Find New Features

An international scientific team recently published a new map of the ocean floor based on Earth’s gravity field, and it is a particularly useful tool. The maps were created through computer analysis and modeling of new satellite data from ESA’s CryoSat-2 and from the NASA-CNES Jason-1, as well as older data from missions flown in the 1980s and 90s. via NASA http://ift.tt/1P11qGS

Tim Peake Prepares For Friday's Spacewalk

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) shared this photo taken aboard the International Space Station on Jan. 11, 2015, during preparations for a spacewalk, or extra-vehicular activity (EVA). Peake wrote, "Final suit fit check prior to Friday's EVA – feels just great! #Principia #spacewalk" via NASA http://ift.tt/1TSFE6i

Starburst Spider

Mars' seasonal cap of carbon dioxide ice has eroded many beautiful terrains as it sublimates (goes directly from ice to vapor) every spring. In the region where the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took this image on Feb. 4, 2009, we see troughs that form a starburst pattern. via NASA http://ift.tt/1SJIc8a

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 away in the constellation of Virgo (The Virgin). The galaxy’s orientation clearly reveals the galaxy’s striking spiral structure: a flat and dust-mottled disk surrounding a bright galactic bulge. via NASA http://ift.tt/1S8lWWe

Galaxy Cluster IDCS 1426

Astronomers have made the most detailed study yet of an extremely massive young galaxy cluster using three of NASA’s Great Observatories. via NASA http://ift.tt/1S6CRIE

Space Station Flyover of British Columbia's Coast Mountains

ESA astronaut Tim Peake (@astro_timpeake) took this photograph over the west coast of Canada from the International Space Station on Dec. 31, 2015, and shared it with his Twitter followers on Jan. 5, writing, "I was lucky enough to fly a helicopter in these Rocky Mountains once – I’m a bit higher this time! #Principia" via NASA http://ift.tt/1mGs2A2

Andromeda in High-Energy X-rays

NASA's Nuclear Spectroscope Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has imaged a swath of the Andromeda galaxy -- the nearest large galaxy to our own Milky Way galaxy. via NASA http://ift.tt/1mySXOQ

Triple Play

What looks like a pair of Saturnian satellites is actually a trio upon close inspection. via NASA http://ift.tt/1PIbO4U