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Science & Cosmos

Real Worlds Beyond Fiction

The nebulae, giant planets and alien horizons that inspire science fiction — real images from NASA missions, from Webb’s Cosmic Cliffs to Pluto’s colours and the surface of Mars.

“Cosmic Cliffs” in the Carina Nebula — “Cosmic Cliffs” in the Carina NebulaJames Webb Space Telescope (NIRCam), 2022
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI · NASA ID carina_nebula · source

The Eagle Nebula Observed by WISE — The Eagle Nebula Observed by WISEWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, 2022
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA25433 · source

Most Detailed Image of the Crab Nebula — Most Detailed Image of the Crab NebulaHubble Space Telescope, 2005
Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State Univ.) · NASA ID PIA03606 · source

The Day the Earth Smiled — The Day the Earth SmiledCassini spacecraft at Saturn, 2013
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI · NASA ID PIA17172 · source

Juno Images Jupiter’s Dark Side — Juno Images Jupiter’s Dark SideJuno spacecraft, 2018
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI · NASA ID PIA22965 · source

The Rich Color Variations of Pluto — The Rich Color Variations of PlutoNew Horizons spacecraft, 2015
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI · NASA ID PIA19952 · source

Mastcam-Z’s First 360-Degree Panorama — Mastcam-Z’s First 360-Degree PanoramaPerseverance rover, Jezero Crater, Mars, 2021
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/ASU · NASA ID PIA24264 · source

A Breathtaking Earthset from Orion — A Breathtaking Earthset from OrionArtemis II, Orion spacecraft, 2026
Credit: NASA · NASA ID art002e021278 · source

Pale Blue Dot Revisited — Pale Blue Dot RevisitedVoyager 1 (reprocessed), 2020
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA23645 · source

Great Observatories’ Unique Views of the Milky Way — Great Observatories’ Unique Views of the Milky WayHubble, Spitzer and Chandra, 2009
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/CXC/STScI · NASA ID PIA12348 · source

Handle-shaped Prominence — Handle-shaped ProminenceSOHO solar observatory, 2001
Credit: ESA/NASA/SOHO · NASA ID PIA03149 · source

Inner B Ring Terminus — Inner B Ring TerminusCassini spacecraft, 2009
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute · NASA ID PIA11671 · source

Fan in the F Ring — Fan in the F RingCassini spacecraft, 2010
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute · NASA ID PIA12786 · source

Earth — EarthNASA, 2012
Credit: NASA · NASA ID PIA18033 · source

Phobos Passing Overhead — Phobos Passing OverheadCuriosity rover, Mars, 2013
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA17270 · source

Twilight Clouds on Sol 307 — Twilight Clouds on Sol 307Curiosity rover navigation cameras, 2021
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA24646 · source

Curiosity Spots Clouds Over Mont Mercou — Curiosity Spots Clouds Over Mont MercouCuriosity rover, Mars, 2021
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS · NASA ID PIA24622 · source

First Image of Europa From Juno’s Close Flyby — First Image of Europa From Juno’s Close FlybyJuno spacecraft, 2022
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS · NASA ID PIA25330 · source

Europa Seen Up Close by Juno’s SRU — Europa Seen Up Close by Juno’s SRUJuno spacecraft, 2024
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI · NASA ID PIA26332 · source

Earthrise over the Moon — Earthrise over the MoonApollo 17, December 1972
Credit: NASA · NASA ID as17-152-23272 · source

Southern Ring Nebula — Southern Ring NebulaJames Webb Space Telescope (NIRCam & MIRI), 2022
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI · NASA ID southern_ring_nebula · source

Pillars of Creation in High Definition — Pillars of Creation in High DefinitionHubble Space Telescope, 2015
Credit: NASA, ESA/Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000842 · source

“Landscape” in the Carina Nebula — “Landscape” in the Carina NebulaHubble Space Telescope
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e002076 · source

Mystic Mountain — Mystic MountainHubble Space Telescope, 2010
Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI · NASA ID PIA15985 · source

The Ring Nebula’s True Shape — The Ring Nebula’s True ShapeHubble Space Telescope, 2013
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e001464 · source

Heart of the Lagoon Nebula — Heart of the Lagoon NebulaHubble Space Telescope
Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e001955 · source

The Twin Jet Nebula — The Twin Jet NebulaHubble Space Telescope, 2015
Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000637 · source

Panoramic View of the Andromeda Galaxy — Panoramic View of the Andromeda GalaxyHubble Space Telescope, 2015
Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Dalcanton, B.F. Williams, L.C. Johnson (Univ. of Washington), PHAT team, R. Gendler · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000833 · source

Amazing Andromeda (Infrared) — Amazing Andromeda (Infrared)Spitzer Space Telescope, 2006
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA08787 · source

Jupiter’s Southern Lights — Jupiter’s Southern LightsJuno, 2016
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/ASI/INAF/JIRAM · NASA ID PIA21033 · source

New Horizons’ Best View of Pluto — New Horizons’ Best View of PlutoNew Horizons, 2015
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University APL/Southwest Research Institute · NASA ID PIA20202 · source

Perseverance Navcam 360° Panorama — Perseverance Navcam 360° PanoramaPerseverance rover, 2021
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA24422 · source

Panorama of Jezero Crater Delta — Panorama of Jezero Crater DeltaPerseverance rover, 2022
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS · NASA ID PIA24921 · source

An X-Class Solar Flare — An X-Class Solar FlareSolar Dynamics Observatory
Credit: NASA/SDO · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000934 · source

Aurora Borealis and City Lights — Aurora Borealis and City LightsInternational Space Station, Expedition 29, 2011
Credit: NASA · NASA ID iss029e012564 · source

The Tortured Clouds of Eta Carinae — The Tortured Clouds of Eta CarinaeChandra & Hubble composite, 2013
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA17257 · source

Beating Heart of the Crab Nebula — Beating Heart of the Crab NebulaHubble Space Telescope, 2016
Credit: NASA, ESA · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000273 · source

Ant Nebula — Ant NebulaHubble Space Telescope, 1999
Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI · NASA ID PIA04216 · source

Crab Nebula, as Seen by Herschel and Hubble — Crab Nebula, as Seen by Herschel and HubbleHerschel & Hubble, 2013
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA17563 · source

Hourglass Nebula around a Dying Star — Hourglass Nebula around a Dying StarHubble Space Telescope, 1996
Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI · NASA ID PIA14442 · source

Glittering “Frisbee” Galaxy — Glittering “Frisbee” GalaxyHubble Space Telescope, 2017
Credit: NASA, ESA · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000117 · source

Stellar Fireworks in the “Skyrocket” Galaxy — Stellar Fireworks in the “Skyrocket” GalaxyHubble Space Telescope, 2017
Credit: NASA, ESA · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000278 · source

Two Galaxies Merging — Two Galaxies MergingHubble Space Telescope, 2017
Credit: NASA, ESA · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e000492 · source

Saturn Silhouette — Saturn SilhouetteCassini, 2010
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA12633 · source

Saturn Polar Jet — Saturn Polar JetCassini, 2013
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA17141 · source

A View of Crescent Jupiter from Juno — A View of Crescent Jupiter from JunoJuno, 2022
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS · NASA ID PIA25013 · source

An Eerie “Face” on Jupiter — An Eerie “Face” on JupiterJuno, 2023
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS · NASA ID PIA25727 · source

Jupiter’s Belts and Zones — Jupiter’s Belts and ZonesJuno, 2023
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS · NASA ID PIA26077 · source

Blue Rays: Farewell to Pluto — Blue Rays: Farewell to PlutoNew Horizons, 2017
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI · NASA ID PIA21590 · source

Pluto Haze — Pluto HazeNew Horizons, 2016
Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI · NASA ID PIA20536 · source

Four Famous Nebulae — Four Famous NebulaeSpitzer Space Telescope, 2021
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA24577 · source

Andromeda Galaxy — Andromeda GalaxySpitzer / GALEX, 2003
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA04921 · source

Aurora from the International Space Station — Aurora from the International Space StationISS Expedition 3, 2001
Credit: NASA · NASA ID iss003e6130 · source

Cosmic Ice Sculptures — Cosmic Ice SculpturesHubble Space Telescope, 2017
Credit: NASA, ESA · NASA ID GSFC_20171208_Archive_e001963 · source

Towering Infernos — Towering InfernosSpitzer Space Telescope, 2005
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech · NASA ID PIA03096 · source

Images courtesy of NASA via the NASA Image and Video Library (images.nasa.gov), used under NASA’s media usage guidelines with the credits shown. Some images include partner credits (ESA, CSA, STScI, SwRI, JHUAPL, MSSS, ASU, SSI). NASA does not endorse this site or its content.