Space

Photography and astronomy offer humanity a fascinating view into the universe.
A bright spiral galaxy is seen edge-on, with vivid red and orange clouds of gas and dust radiating outward, surrounded by stars and cosmic dust against a dark space background.

Super-Bright Galaxy Photo Shows How Webb Compares Against Hubble

The James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) latest target is Messier 82 (M82), also known as the Cigar Galaxy. The nearby galaxy is five times more luminous than the Milky Way. It has previously been photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope, providing a great way to measure the two active space telescopes against each other.

Three smartphones display an astronomy app interface, each showing vibrant images of nebulae, star details, and user comments against a dark background. The screens highlight colorful space photography and app features.

Picastro Is Social Media for Astrophotographers

Astrophotographers are a passionate bunch, and they now have a new dedicated social media and web platform to share their work, find inspiration, and learn how to improve their craft. Picastro is all about showcasing genuine astronomy images from astrophotographers worldwide, whether they are beginners or seasoned pros.

A bright orange planet appears in the upper right of the image, orbiting a central star obscured by a black circle, with faint blue rings of dust and gas surrounding the star against a dark background.

Webb Captures Its First Direct Image of an Exoplanet

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured what scientists believe is its first photograph of an exoplanet. If the findings are confirmed, it would mark the first time Webb discovered a planet through a direct image and the lightest planet ever seen using this imaging technique outside the solar system.

Side-by-side satellite images of Las Vegas and Lake Mead show urban expansion over time, with the left image showing less development and the right image showing increased urban growth and changing land patterns.

Satellite’s Final Photo Shows Las Vegas Has Doubled in Size Since 1999

The Landsat 7 satellite has signed off on its 25 years of taking photos of Earth with one last image of Las Vegas showing that the City of Sin has almost doubled in size since the spacecraft first snapped it 25 years ago. Since its launch on April 15, 1999, Landsat 7 has captured over 3.3 million images, including the first image of Las Vegas, which was captured in July 1999.

A collage with three images: colorful aurora over Earth's curve, a large orange moon behind a city skyscraper at night, and Earth rising above the gray, rocky lunar surface.

Seven Mindblowing Space Photos Taken This Month

Each week, there are thousands of incredible photographs taken in space by NASA, ESA, telescopes, satellites, rovers, and beyond. Sometimes it feels like there is too much space content so PetaPixel has devised a handy article where you can see all of the best images of the cosmos this month.

A galaxy seen edge-on with a bright core divided by a diagonal line; the left side is hazy and smooth, while the right side is detailed with blue spiral arms and stars.

Webb Wears Two Hats to Photograph the Sombrero Galaxy

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) first photographed the Sombrero galaxy late last year. Months later, the $10 billion space telescope has set its sights back on the galaxy, this time at different wavelengths of light, completing a mind-bending photo of Sombrero's galactic disk.

A dense galaxy cluster with bright stars, distant galaxies, and orange arcs of light caused by gravitational lensing against a dark space background.

Webb Captures a Cosmic Forest of Ancient Galaxies

The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)'s new "Picture of the Month" shows the mega-monster galaxy cluster Abell S1063. This impressive collection of galaxies is about 4.5 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Grus (the Crane). However, surrounding Abell S1063 is the true star of the show -- super-distant, ancient galaxies whose light is being warped by the gravitational force of the relatively closer Abell S1063.

Northern lights could be arriving on December 1, 2023

Heads Up, Aurora Photographers: Severe Geomagnetic Storm On the Way

A coronal mass ejection (CME) is headed straight for Earth per NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center. Astrophotographers should charge their camera batteries, check weather conditions for tomorrow, and prepare for what could be the biggest auroral event of the year.

Abstract image split into two panels, each featuring swirling, cloud-like textures in shades of pink and white, creating a sense of motion and energy.

Scientists Capture Sharpest Images Ever of Sun’s Corona

Scientists from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Solar Observatory (NSO) and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) used groundbreaking adaptive optics to capture sharpest ever photos and videos of the Sun's corona, the outermost layer of its atmosphere.

A rocky, reddish-brown Martian landscape with layered hills and mountains fades into a hazy, distant horizon under a pale sky. The terrain is dry and rugged, covered in loose rocks and dust.

Sit Back and Enjoy NASA’s Epic Landscape Photo of Mars

160 years ago pioneering photographers were among the first to capture the landscapes of the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite. One and a half centuries later, a robot on Mars is recording the first-ever views of Martian landscapes that bear a resemblance to those found in the southwestern United States.