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Facts, Information, and Images related to Space and Astronomy.
Copyright with respective people and organizations shared for educational purposes.
Copyright with respective people and organizations shared for educational purposes.
During Artemis I Flight Day 13, Orion reached its max distance (>430,000 km from Earth). From this extreme range, our home world and its Moon appeared nearly the same apparent size to the spacecraft. Artemis II will launch with crew.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 31, 2026 at 6:15 PM
During Artemis I Flight Day 13, Orion reached its max distance (>430,000 km from Earth). From this extreme range, our home world and its Moon appeared nearly the same apparent size to the spacecraft. Artemis II will launch with crew.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
NGC 1333: A reflection nebula in Perseus, 1,000 light-years away. This stellar nursery harbors hundreds of stars less than a million years old, many still hidden by dust. Its chaotic environment may mirror our Sun's formation.
Credit: Robert Eder
Credit: Robert Eder
January 30, 2026 at 6:15 PM
NGC 1333: A reflection nebula in Perseus, 1,000 light-years away. This stellar nursery harbors hundreds of stars less than a million years old, many still hidden by dust. Its chaotic environment may mirror our Sun's formation.
Credit: Robert Eder
Credit: Robert Eder
NGC 2442, a hook-shaped galaxy 50 million light-years away in Volans, has distorted spiral arms. Its unique structure is likely due to an ancient close encounter with a smaller galaxy.
Credit: Mike Selby
Credit: Mike Selby
January 29, 2026 at 6:15 PM
NGC 2442, a hook-shaped galaxy 50 million light-years away in Volans, has distorted spiral arms. Its unique structure is likely due to an ancient close encounter with a smaller galaxy.
Credit: Mike Selby
Credit: Mike Selby
M78 is a blue reflection nebula 1,500 light-years away in the Orion Molecular Cloud. Its dust glows by reflecting light from embedded stars. Diffuse hydrogen creates the overall red hue of this star-forming complex, home to the Orion and Horsehead Nebulas.
Credit: Daniel McCauley
Credit: Daniel McCauley
January 28, 2026 at 6:15 PM
M78 is a blue reflection nebula 1,500 light-years away in the Orion Molecular Cloud. Its dust glows by reflecting light from embedded stars. Diffuse hydrogen creates the overall red hue of this star-forming complex, home to the Orion and Horsehead Nebulas.
Credit: Daniel McCauley
Credit: Daniel McCauley
Orion glows above Poland's snowy Tatra Mountains. This nightscape reveals the Great Orion Nebula, a vast stellar nursery visible to the unaided eye, surrounded by Barnard's Loop and other nebulous structures.
Credit: Włodzimierz Bubak;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
Credit: Włodzimierz Bubak;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
January 27, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Orion glows above Poland's snowy Tatra Mountains. This nightscape reveals the Great Orion Nebula, a vast stellar nursery visible to the unaided eye, surrounded by Barnard's Loop and other nebulous structures.
Credit: Włodzimierz Bubak;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
Credit: Włodzimierz Bubak;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
NGC 55 reveals bright nebulas by isolating their light. This 50-hour exposure highlights glowing hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue) within the galaxy, offering a detailed look at distant star-forming regions. NGC 55 lies 6.5 million light-years a…
Credit: Wolfgang Promper;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
Credit: Wolfgang Promper;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
January 26, 2026 at 6:15 PM
NGC 55 reveals bright nebulas by isolating their light. This 50-hour exposure highlights glowing hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue) within the galaxy, offering a detailed look at distant star-forming regions. NGC 55 lies 6.5 million light-years a…
Credit: Wolfgang Promper;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
Credit: Wolfgang Promper;
Text: Ogetay Kayali
(MTU)
Phobos, the larger moon of Mars, orbits so close that tidal forces are dragging it down. In ~50 million years, this asteroid-like moon will disintegrate, forming a debris ring around the Red Planet.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 25, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Phobos, the larger moon of Mars, orbits so close that tidal forces are dragging it down. In ~50 million years, this asteroid-like moon will disintegrate, forming a debris ring around the Red Planet.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Reposted by Astronomy 🔭
“Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still.”
— Carl Sagan
— Carl Sagan
January 25, 2026 at 2:44 PM
“Exploration is in our nature. We began as wanderers, and we are wanderers still.”
— Carl Sagan
— Carl Sagan
This Earthset was seen from Orion during Artemis I. On Nov 28, 2022, Orion broke Apollo 13's record, reaching over 400,000 km from Earth—the most distant spacecraft designed for human exploration.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 24, 2026 at 6:15 PM
This Earthset was seen from Orion during Artemis I. On Nov 28, 2022, Orion broke Apollo 13's record, reaching over 400,000 km from Earth—the most distant spacecraft designed for human exploration.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Abell 7, a planetary nebula 1,800 light-years away, illustrates the brief final phase of a Sun-like star. Our Sun will shed its outer layers in 5 billion years, forming its own nebula.
Credit: Martin Pugh
Credit: Martin Pugh
January 23, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Abell 7, a planetary nebula 1,800 light-years away, illustrates the brief final phase of a Sun-like star. Our Sun will shed its outer layers in 5 billion years, forming its own nebula.
Credit: Martin Pugh
Credit: Martin Pugh
LDN 1622, the "Boogeyman Nebula," is a dark nebula in Orion, ~1,500 light-years away. Its foreboding silhouette conceals hidden young stars, revealed by infrared observations.
Credit: Chris Fellows
Credit: Chris Fellows
January 22, 2026 at 6:15 PM
LDN 1622, the "Boogeyman Nebula," is a dark nebula in Orion, ~1,500 light-years away. Its foreboding silhouette conceals hidden young stars, revealed by infrared observations.
Credit: Chris Fellows
Credit: Chris Fellows
Webb captures NGC 1365, a barred spiral galaxy 2x the Milky Way's size. Its central bar funnels gas and dust, fueling intense star formation and feeding its supermassive black hole.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 21, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Webb captures NGC 1365, a barred spiral galaxy 2x the Milky Way's size. Its central bar funnels gas and dust, fueling intense star formation and feeding its supermassive black hole.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Jupiter's moon Io, bright yellow from sulfur and silicate rock, is the Solar System's most volcanically active body. Intense tidal forces cause its interior to heat and erupt, effectively turning the moon inside out.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 20, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Jupiter's moon Io, bright yellow from sulfur and silicate rock, is the Solar System's most volcanically active body. Intense tidal forces cause its interior to heat and erupt, effectively turning the moon inside out.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
The Medulla Nebula (CTB 1) is a 10,000-year-old supernova remnant. A pulsar, expelled at over 1000 km/s by the explosion, is thought to power its X-ray glow. This faint object took 84 hours to image.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 19, 2026 at 6:15 PM
The Medulla Nebula (CTB 1) is a 10,000-year-old supernova remnant. A pulsar, expelled at over 1000 km/s by the explosion, is thought to power its X-ray glow. This faint object took 84 hours to image.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Webb's infrared view of Jupiter reveals high-floating bright clouds, polar auroras, and the unique magnetic footprint of volcanic moon Io visible in the southern aurora. With its 6m mirror, Webb provides unprecedented detail of the gas giant.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 18, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Webb's infrared view of Jupiter reveals high-floating bright clouds, polar auroras, and the unique magnetic footprint of volcanic moon Io visible in the southern aurora. With its 6m mirror, Webb provides unprecedented detail of the gas giant.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Feb 5, 1971: Apollo 14's LM Antares landed. Ed Mitchell's mosaic shows the lunar surface where Alan Shepard famously hit two golf balls. One is visible near Mitchell's thrown sampling tool.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
January 17, 2026 at 6:15 PM
Feb 5, 1971: Apollo 14's LM Antares landed. Ed Mitchell's mosaic shows the lunar surface where Alan Shepard famously hit two golf balls. One is visible near Mitchell's thrown sampling tool.
Credit: NASA/ APOD
Credit: NASA/ APOD
The Iris Nebula (NGC 7023), 1,300 light-years away in Cepheus, spans 6 light-years. Its blue hue comes from reflected starlight, while faint red glows are dust converting UV light. Infrared also detects complex carbon molecules (PAHs).
Credit: Justus Falk
Credit: Justus Falk
January 16, 2026 at 6:15 PM
The Iris Nebula (NGC 7023), 1,300 light-years away in Cepheus, spans 6 light-years. Its blue hue comes from reflected starlight, while faint red glows are dust converting UV light. Infrared also detects complex carbon molecules (PAHs).
Credit: Justus Falk
Credit: Justus Falk
The Moon's crater Plato & Alps: Unlike Earth's mountains formed by plate tectonics, the lunar Alps were created by the colossal impact that formed the Mare Imbrium basin.
Credit: Luigi Morrone
Credit: Luigi Morrone
January 15, 2026 at 6:15 PM
The Moon's crater Plato & Alps: Unlike Earth's mountains formed by plate tectonics, the lunar Alps were created by the colossal impact that formed the Mare Imbrium basin.
Credit: Luigi Morrone
Credit: Luigi Morrone
M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, is a classic spiral 30 million light-years distant. Its distinct spiral structure is primarily due to gravitational interaction with a smaller companion galaxy, making it a picturesque target for binoculars.
Credit: Michael Sleeman
Credit: Michael Sleeman
January 14, 2026 at 6:15 PM
M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, is a classic spiral 30 million light-years distant. Its distinct spiral structure is primarily due to gravitational interaction with a smaller companion galaxy, making it a picturesque target for binoculars.
Credit: Michael Sleeman
Credit: Michael Sleeman
Reposted by Astronomy 🔭
"Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot."
– Carl Sagan
– Carl Sagan
January 5, 2026 at 7:25 PM
"Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot."
– Carl Sagan
– Carl Sagan
NASA's NanoSail-D2, launched 2011, was the first solar sail in low Earth orbit. Its 10-sq-meter sail used the continuous pressure of sunlight for thrust, demonstrating a concept Kepler envisioned centuries ago. It was periodically visible to the unaided eye.
Credit: Ralf Vandebergh
Credit: Ralf Vandebergh
January 2, 2026 at 6:15 PM
NASA's NanoSail-D2, launched 2011, was the first solar sail in low Earth orbit. Its 10-sq-meter sail used the continuous pressure of sunlight for thrust, demonstrating a concept Kepler envisioned centuries ago. It was periodically visible to the unaided eye.
Credit: Ralf Vandebergh
Credit: Ralf Vandebergh
An auroral corona, seen over Iceland, occurs when energetic light curtains stream directly overhead during strong geomagnetic storms. Solar Cycle 25's peak in 2025-2026 brings more such spectacular displays.
Credit: Roi Levi
Credit: Roi Levi
January 1, 2026 at 6:15 PM
An auroral corona, seen over Iceland, occurs when energetic light curtains stream directly overhead during strong geomagnetic storms. Solar Cycle 25's peak in 2025-2026 brings more such spectacular displays.
Credit: Roi Levi
Credit: Roi Levi
HH-222, the Waterfall Nebula, isn't flowing gas but a 10-light-year-long bow shock. This colossal wave, caused by a jet from the V380 Orionis system, moves through space, appearing like a terrestrial waterfall 1,500 light-years away in Orion.
Credit: Mike Selby
Credit: Mike Selby
December 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
HH-222, the Waterfall Nebula, isn't flowing gas but a 10-light-year-long bow shock. This colossal wave, caused by a jet from the V380 Orionis system, moves through space, appearing like a terrestrial waterfall 1,500 light-years away in Orion.
Credit: Mike Selby
Credit: Mike Selby
This isn't a comet tail! It's a time-lapse of Starlink satellites reflecting sunlight over Inner Mongolia. Long camera exposures blur these over 9000 low Earth orbit satellites into streaks, creating an "artificial comet" effect.
Credit: Wang Chao
Credit: Wang Chao
December 30, 2025 at 6:15 PM
This isn't a comet tail! It's a time-lapse of Starlink satellites reflecting sunlight over Inner Mongolia. Long camera exposures blur these over 9000 low Earth orbit satellites into streaks, creating an "artificial comet" effect.
Credit: Wang Chao
Credit: Wang Chao
The Crab Nebula, a 1054 AD supernova remnant, hosts a central pulsar. This neutron star, as massive as the Sun yet the size of a town, spins 30 times per second.
Credit: Alan Chen
Credit: Alan Chen
December 29, 2025 at 6:15 PM
The Crab Nebula, a 1054 AD supernova remnant, hosts a central pulsar. This neutron star, as massive as the Sun yet the size of a town, spins 30 times per second.
Credit: Alan Chen
Credit: Alan Chen