A dusty Martian landscape with rolling hills in the background. Tire tracks from a rover are visible on the right side, leading from the foreground into the distance. The sky appears hazy and the terrain is covered in fine reddish sand. Mars Perseverance Rover Climbs Out of Jezero Crater and Onto New Horizons
View of a starry sky from space, showcasing two prominent fuzzy galaxies against a dark backdrop. A warm orange glow and part of a spacecraft frame the lower portion of the scene. Astronaut Takes Epic Photo of Two Satellite Galaxies From Onboard the ISS
Aerial view of a volcanic eruption with bright orange lava flowing down a rocky landscape. Smoke and steam rise from the vent, and the dark terrain surrounding the lava contrasts with the blue ocean in the lower part of the image. Satellite Captures Volcanic Lava Flow Threatening Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

Space

Photography and astronomy offer humanity a fascinating view into the universe.
Jeremy Gray
Left side: A vibrant star cluster with multicolored cosmic clouds and bright stars scattered throughout. Right side: A nebula with greenish hues, featuring a dense cluster of stars and cloudy patterns.

NASA Embraces Holiday Spirit With Images of Stellar Wreath and Cosmic Christmas Tree

Scientists frequently combine data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST/Webb) and Chandra X-ray Observatory (Chandra) to get a complete picture of cosmic objects and learn more about the Universe's history. However, this week, the collaboration has a special festive twist as NASA shared new images of a cosmic "wreath" and "Christmas tree" in deep space.

Blair Bunting
A group of astronauts in yellow space suits with helmets walk in formation under a dark, cloudy sky. The suits feature various patches and insignias. A large aircraft is partially visible in the background.

A Game of Inches: The Suit That Kept a Photographer Alive

It was not on the flight, but rather the day before, as I was sitting in a pressure chamber testing my spacesuit one last time, that I realized how absolute my reliance on it would be. I was well aware of the extreme risk to anyone who had the misfortune of being ejected from a U2. Yet, I took solace in knowing that because of this multi-layered suit, there would at least be a chance, although small, of survival should that situation become a reality.

Jeremy Gray
A deep space image of a bright galaxy with a luminous blue core on the left, extending a faint, irregular jet of light to the right. The background is a dark, star-speckled sky.

This Is the Closest Ever Image of a Galaxy-Eating Quasar

A brand-new Hubble image delivers an incredible view of a quasar, enabling the space telescope to "peer closer than ever into the throat of an energetic monster black hole." The new views, described as "weird," show what could be a group of galaxies falling into a black hole.

Jeremy Gray
Illustration of a spacecraft with solar panels in space, positioned against the backdrop of a glowing sun. The sun's corona is visible, creating a halo effect around the central black circle, which depicts the sun's obscured surface.

How ESA’s Proba-3 Mission Will Create Solar Eclipses in Orbit

After a slight hiccup and one-day delay, the European Space Agency's incredible Proba-3 mission successfully launched into space. The Proba-3 mission will do something never seen before: it will precisely and repeatedly create solar eclipses in orbit using two satellites. Lining up these satellites is a remarkable technological feat and relies heavily on breakthrough imaging technology.

Jeremy Gray
A vibrant cosmic scene displays colorful clouds of interstellar gas and dust in green, red, and yellow hues, surrounded by a multitude of bright stars against a deep space background.

The Final Images from NASA’s Burned-Up NEOWISE Space Telescope

Launched in December 2009, the Near-Earth Object Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) ended its mission on July 31, 2024, and, as expected, reentered Earth's atmosphere on November 1, burning up. However, while NEOWISE is gone, its impact is still felt. As Space reports, the NEOWISE team recently did one final data release and shared never-before-seen images.

Jeremy Gray
A stunning, colorful image of Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere with swirling clouds and vortices, showcasing shades of blue, white, orange, and brown. The dynamic patterns create a sense of movement across the planet's northern hemisphere.

The Most Spectacular Images From Juno’s Latest Close Flyby of Jupiter

NASA's Juno spacecraft recently made its 66th flyby, or "perijove," of the gas giant, Jupiter, returning many spectacular raw images to Earth. While NASA processes many photos from the Juno mission, community editors are a significant part of the photography efforts, and the latest community submissions are incredible.

Jeremy Gray
A vivid image of a nebula in space, showcasing bright colors with swirling patterns. Orange and red clouds contrast against a dark background, with a striking blue formation resembling a gaseous arc. Twinkling stars are scattered throughout.

This Astrophotographer Captures the Universe Unlike Anyone Else

Through his fantastic images, Finnish astrophotographer J-P Metsavainio shows how photos can be breathtakingly beautiful when art meets science. One of Metsavainio's recent images, WR 134 as a Rising Phoenix, is a brilliant example of the aesthetic wonders of the cosmos and the extreme technical precision required to do astrophotography.

Jeremy Gray
Split image showing a bright comet streaking toward the sun. The left side captures the sun with flaring rays and a dark circle in the center, while the right side focuses on the comet with a glowing white tail against a dark red background.

Watch the Comet ATLAS Fly Into the Sun and Burn Up

Comet C/2024 S1 (ATLAS), which some hoped might be a nice Halloween treat and great follow-up act to the stunning comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) dazzled the skies throughout October, has evaporated after flying into the Sun. It turns out C/2024 S1 is more trick than treat.