Galactic Pyrotechnics From 23 Million Light Years Away

NGC 4258, a galaxy about 23 million light years away, is the site of impressive, ongoing fireworks.

Exploring the Night Sky with Hubble’s Caldwell Catalog

This loose collections of stars, known as an open star cluster, is image 100 of the Caldwell catalog.

Astronaut Christina Koch Poised to Make History Again

NASA astronaut Christina Koch makes observations from the International space Station's cupola.

Morocco's Anti-Atlas Mountains

The Anti-Atlas Mountains of Morocco formed as a result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 80 million years ago.

Stellar Snowflake Cluster

The newly revealed infant stars appear as pink and red specks toward the center and appear to have formed in regularly spaced intervals along linear structures.

Hubble’s Close-Up of Spiral’s Disk, Bulge

​This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows IC 2051, a galaxy in the southern constellation of Mensa (the Table Mountain) lying about 85 million light-years away. It is a spiral galaxy, as evidenced by its characteristic whirling, pinwheeling arms, and it has a bar of stars slicing through its center.

This Week in NASA History: 3rd Hubble Servicing Mission – Dec. 19, 1999

This week in 1999, space shuttle Discovery, mission STS-103, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.

Galaxy Gathering Brings Warmth

As the holiday season approaches, people in the northern hemisphere will gather indoors to stay warm. In keeping with the season, astronomers have studied two groups of galaxies that are rushing together and producing their own warmth.

Hubble Views Galaxy’s Dazzling Display

​NGC 3175 is located around 50 million light-years away in the constellation of Antlia (the Air Pump). The galaxy can be seen slicing across the frame in this Hubble image, with its mix of bright patches of glowing gas, dark lanes of dust, bright core, and whirling, pinwheeling arms coming together to paint a beautiful celestial scene.

A Treat for the International Space Station's First Crew

In this image from December 2000, the Expedition One crew--the first to permanently inhabit the International Space Station--are about to eat a treat of fresh oranges.

Brilliance at Night: The Americas in Darkness

This image of North and South America at night is a composite assembled from data acquired by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012.

Earth's Changing Ice

Meltwater lakes form on the surface of Greenland’s Petermann Glacier.

Progress 73 Cargo Craft Departs the Station

To make room for the latest cargo craft on Nov. 29, Progress 73 departed the station after undocking from the Pirs docking compartment.

Hubble Spots Galaxy’s Dramatic Details

Some of the most dramatic events in the universe occur when certain stars die — and explode catastrophically in the process. When these star deaths, or supernovae, occur, their brightness can rival the light of a whole galaxy. The galaxy NGC 5468, shown in this Hubble image, has hosted a number of these supernovae the past 20 years.

Luca Parmitano Works to Upgrade a Cosmic Particle Detector

European Space Agency astronaut and current International Space Station Commander Luca Parmitano and ​crewmate Andrew Morgan (out of frame) performed the third spacewalk to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

Carina Nebula's 'Mystic Mountain'

Within the tempestuous Carina Nebula lies “Mystic Mountain.”

‘Robot Hotel’ Launching to the International Space Station

Robots need a place to stay in space, too. NASA is attaching a “robot hotel” to the outside of the International Space Station with the upcoming launch of the Robotic Tool Stowage (RiTS).

Black Hole Nurtures Baby Stars a Million Light-Years Away

Black holes are famous for ripping objects apart, including stars. But now, astronomers have uncovered a black hole that may have sparked the births of stars over a mind-boggling distance, and across multiple galaxies.

Thanksgiving 2019 Aboard the Space Station

See what the holiday means to NASA’s Christina Koch, Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan aboard the International Space Station.

Inspiring a New Generation of Astronauts

Native American NASA Astronaut, John Herrington is pictured here with Lucasti and Caibiya Tsabetsaye in front of the NASA Artemis banner at the 2019 American Indian Science and Engineering Society’s National Conference.

Astronauts Complete 2nd Phase to Repair Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer

Astronaut Andrew Morgan is tethered to the Starboard-3 truss segment work site during the second spacewalk to repair the International Space Station's cosmic particle detector, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

Hubble Eyes an Emitting Galaxy

For this image, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope turned its powerful eye toward an emission-line galaxy called NGC 3749. It lies over 135 million light-years away and is moderately luminous.

Edward Gonzales: Advocating for Underserved Communities

Eddie Gonzales works to mentor Native American students and others in underserved communities.

Stars Are Being Born in the Depths of a Black Hole

In the Phoenix Constellation, astronomers have confirmed the first example of a galaxy cluster where large numbers of stars are being born at its core.

George Gorospe: From Intern to Research Engineer

Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, George Gorospe was taught by his parents to take pride in his Native American heritage.

Astronauts Complete First Excursion to Repair Cosmic Particle Detector

Station Commander ​​Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency conducts repairs, while attached to the Canadarm during the first spacewalk to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

Hubble Spots a Curious Spiral

Many galaxies we see through telescopes such as the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, the source of this beautiful image, look relatively similar: spiraling arms, a glowing center, and a mixture of bright specks of star formation and dark ripples of cosmic dust weaving throughout. This galaxy, a spiral galaxy named NGC 772, is no exception.

Apollo 12 Sees a Solar Eclipse

Fifty years ago, on Nov. 14, 1969, Apollo 12 launched at 11:22 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Powtawche Valerino: Supporting NASA’s Space Launch System Program

Powtawche Valerino is a guidance engineer who works for Aerodyne Industries at the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, supporting the agency’s Space Launch System program.

Mercury's Solar Transit

The planet Mercury is seen in silhouette, low center, as it transits across the face of the Sun, Monday, Nov. 11, 2019.

Building the Rover of the Future

A student from Sinte Gleska University works to build a model rover for a NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars.

This Week in NASA History: First Launch of Saturn V – Nov. 9, 1967

This week in 1967, the Apollo 4 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

The Cygnus space freighter is attached to the Unity module

The U.S. Cygnus space freighter from Northrop Grumman is pictured in the grips of the Canadarm2 robotic arm as it was installed to the Unity module for 70 days of cargo transfers.

Orson John: A NASA Pathways Student Becomes a Reliability Engineer

Orson John helps prepare Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) for encapsulation in the United Launch Alliance Delta II payload fairing on Sept. 4, 2018, at Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Northrop Grumman Resupply Mission Bringing Science, Cargo to Station

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, launches from Pad-0A of NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, Saturday, November 2, 2019.

Observing California's Wildfires from the Space Station

From the vantage point of space aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan captured this image of a California wildfire.

The Face of the Antares Rocket

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is seen as it rolls out to Pad-0A, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

Jupiter's Cloud Tops: From High to Low

This view from NASA's Juno spacecraft captures colorful, intricate patterns in a jet stream region of Jupiter's northern hemisphere known as "Jet N3."

A Trail of Night Lights from the International Space Station

This image of star trails was compiled from time-lapse photography taken by NASA astronaut Christina Koch while onboard the International Space Station.

A Mega-Cluster of Galaxies in the Making

Astronomers using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes have put together a detailed map of a rare collision between four galaxy clusters.

Hubble Finds Medusa in the Sky

The Medusa merger, was not always one entity, but two. An early galaxy consumed a smaller gas-rich system, throwing out streams of stars and dust into space. These streams resemble the writhing snakes that Medusa, a monster in ancient Greek mythology, famously had on her head in place of hair, lending the object its intriguing name.

NASA Attaches First of 4 RS-25 Engines to Artemis I Rocket Stage

Engineers and technicians at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have structurally mated the first of four RS-25 engines to the core stage for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will help power the first Artemis mission to the Moon.

NASA and the 70th International Astronautical Congress

Vice President Mike Pence delivers remarks during the opening ceremony of the 70th International Astronautical Congress.

NASA Astronaut Christina Koch Conducts Repairs on the Space Station

NASA astronaut Christina Koch conducts her fourth spacewalk at the International Space Station with fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir

The Tycho Supernova: Death of a Star

In 1572, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe was among those who noticed a new bright object in the constellation Cassiopeia.

Astronaut Christina Koch Works in the Vacuum of Space

NASA astronaut Christina Koch works while tethered near the Port 6 truss segment of the International Space Station.

Artemis Generation Spacesuit Event

Amy Ross, a spacesuit engineer at Johnson Space Center, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, watch as Kristine Davis and Dustin Gohmert wear prototype spacesuits.

Serena Auñón-Chancellor Talks to Girls About Life on the Station

NASA astronaut Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor speaks about her experience on Expeditions 56 and 57 onboard the International Space Station (ISS) at Excel Academy Public Charter School, Monday, June 10, 2019.

Serena Aunon-Chancellor Talks to Girls About Life on the Station

NASA astronaut Dr. Serena Auñón-Chancellor speaks about her experience on Expeditions 56 and 57 onboard the International Space Station (ISS) at Excel Academy Public Charter School, Monday, June 10, 2019.

NASA’s X-59 QueSST Airplane Takes Shape at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

NASA’s X-59 QueSST, an experimental piloted aircraft designed to fly faster than sound without producing the annoying – if not alarming – sonic booms of previous supersonic aircraft is taking shape..