Deep Field — The Gallery

2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Spain

2026-08-12T20:17:00Z

A total solar eclipse is seen from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.

Credit: NASA

A Magical Atmosphere Around SOAR

2026-08-12T19:00:00Z

This Image of the Week captures a magical moment in the foothills of the Chilean Andes. The Southern Astrophysical Research ( SOAR ) Telescope, part of the U.S. National Science Foundation ( NSF ) Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory ( CTIO ), is captured here atop Cerro Pachón. Its dome is open to the star-speckled sky with the top part of its telescope clearly visible. While SOAR observes a target out of our…

Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Perseids Over a little Planet

2026-08-12T12:00:00Z

It looks like a view from the Little Prince's planet. The featured image is a throwback to the 2024 Perseid meteor shower, surrounded in this projection by the Bieszczady Mountains in Poland. Visible in the sky is the arch of the Milky Way, along with several nebulas in red and over a hundred meteors pointing to the radiant. The Perseids are easily visible and quite popular in the Northern Hemisphere summer…

Credit: Marcin Rosadziński

Stops Along the Path of Totality

2026-08-12T04:01:00Z

Western Iceland and northern Spain are among the few Northern Hemisphere locations experiencing a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. The post Stops Along the Path of Totality appeared first on NASA Science .

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Lion Nebula Roars in Webb's Sights

2026-08-11T17:03:00Z

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope imaged the planetary nebula NGC 2392, the Lion Nebula, using the observatory’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments. The central star’s remains are responsible for the nebula’s structure, including a lion face-shaped bubble of ionized gas and dust “mane.”

Credit: NASA

Six Moons of Saturn

2026-08-11T12:00:00Z

How many moons does Saturn have? While the total will likely continue to grow, as of June 2026 the ringed gas giant had 293 confirmed moons. That's easily more than any other planet of the Solar System, including ruling gas giant Jupiter with a mere 115 confirmed moons. Most of Saturn's known moons are small, irregular satellites. Many are only few kilometers to a fraction of a kilometer across and grouped in tilted…

Credit: Alexandre Trentini

IRS 3 Field (NIRCam and MIRI image)

2026-08-11T08:00:00Z

This image features data from Webb’s NIRCam ( Near Infrared Camera ) and MIRI ( Mid Infrared Instrument ) to capture the most detailed mid-infrared view yet of the field that hosts the highly evolved star IRS 3, which is located just 0.55 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way galaxy's central supermassive black hole. An international team of astronomers have discovered that dust and water can form and…

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA

Star IRS 3 (close-up NIRCam image)

2026-08-11T08:00:00Z

This image shows a close-up of the surrounding region of the highly evolved star IRS 3, which is located just 0.55 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way galaxy's central supermassive black hole. An international team of astronomers have discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to this supermassive black hole. The observations reveal that the evolved star IRS 3 continues to…

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA

Bountiful Roebuck Bay

2026-08-11T04:01:00Z

Tidal and seasonal shifts leave their mark on this crescent-shaped, productive bay in Western Australia's Kimberley region. The post Bountiful Roebuck Bay appeared first on NASA Science .

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir Uses VR Goggles

2026-08-10T15:50:00Z

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir wears a set of virtual reality goggles, also called the Nevada Screening Vision System, for a test that measures visual function using a series of vision screening apps testing visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and more.

Credit: NASA

Lion Nebula (MIRI image)

2026-08-10T14:00:00Z

The James Webb Space Telescope observed planetary nebula NGC 2392 in mid-infrared light, revealing the presence of dust and its varying structures within this tumultuous environment. Nicknamed the Lion Nebula due to its appearance, this collection of gas and dust is created and sculpted by the remains of a dying star, which is in the center and resembles the button nose of the lion. While some dust is being…

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA

Three Galaxy Pairs

2026-08-10T12:00:00Z

ch of these pairs of galaxies is different. The two galaxies at the top are likely not interacting, at least presently. However, the top galaxy with the blue stripe, NGC 4650A, is a polar ring galaxy and may be the result of a past galaxy collision. The two galaxies in the middle of the featured image appear like they could be interacting gravitationally -- but their relative speeds make this unlikely. Of these two…

Credit: Rafael Sampaio

El Niño Alters Marine Life in the Pacific

2026-08-10T04:01:00Z

Satellite measurements of chlorophyll at the sea surface signal shifts in the ocean’s nutrient supplies in mid-2026. The post El Niño Alters Marine Life in the Pacific appeared first on NASA Science .

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Contemplating the Sun

2026-08-09T12:00:00Z

Have you contemplated your home star recently? Featured here, a Sun partially eclipsed on the top left by the Moon is also seen eclipsed by earthlings contemplating the eclipse below. This spectacular menagerie of silhouettes was taken in 2012 from the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near Page, Arizona, USA, where park rangers and astronomers expounded on the unusual event to interested gatherers. Also, faintly…

Credit: Steven Gilbert

A Messier Moment for Tempel 2

2026-08-08T12:00:00Z

Which of these is not a comet? You guessed it - the one on the right is a globular star cluster. The diffuse greenish coma of periodic comet 10P/Tempel 2 is at left in the frame. In fact the globular star cluster is Messier 30, also known as M30, or the 30th entry in astronomer Charles Messier's catalog of things which are not comets. The well-known 18th century astronomer kept a list of objects he observed, now his…

Credit: Dan Bartlett

Rubin's COSMOS field

2026-08-07T12:00:00Z

There are more than half a million galaxies in the central panel of this image from the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. This is the COSMOS field, a patch of sky several times larger than the full moon, first observed by Hubble. It has also been observed by Webb and other telescopes because it contains comparatively few bright stars from our own galaxy, offering a relatively unimpeded view of other…

Credit: NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory/NOIRLab/SLAC/AURA

Antenna Testing for NASA’s SkyFall Mission

2026-08-06T17:56:12Z

Description SkyFall ground-penetrating radar engineer Maya Román connects a coaxial cable to a test antenna in the Environmental Test Lab’s electromagnetic interference testing chamber at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The antenna was pointed up during test to minimize reflections and interferences with the antenna pattern during the measurement. Equipped with four instruments each, the […]…

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Taking Flight to Prepare for Space

2026-08-06T15:20:00Z

NASA astronaut candidate Adam Fuhrmann prepares for a training flight aboard NASA’s WB-57 aircraft.

Credit: NASA

New Sharpest Image of the Sun Uncovers Instability

2026-08-06T12:00:00Z

What does the new sharpest image of our Sun show? Instability. To be clear, a certain kind of interactive process called the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). This instability can create waves and swirls when two streams flow past each other -- in this case variable streams of solar magnetic plasma. Long hypothesized to occur on the Sun's surface, KHI streaks and swirls were confirmed in just-released dramatic…

Credit: NASA — public domain

Webb opens a Treasure Chest filled with stars

2026-08-06T08:00:00Z

This NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope Picture of the Month takes us to a fantastical realm within our home galaxy , where piercing starlight and billowing winds sculpt dust clouds into inventive shapes. This scene is from the Carina Nebula, which lies just 7500 light-years away in the constellation Carina (the Keel). Spanning roughly 260 light-years, the nebula is home to an incredible collection of objects…

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA

How the Tide Turns at the Mouth of the Elbe

2026-08-06T04:01:00Z

The ocean’s ebbs and flows reveal dynamic tidal flats and a well-traveled shipping route along the coast of Germany. The post How the Tide Turns at the Mouth of the Elbe appeared first on NASA Science .

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Distorted Sunset over Rubin

2026-08-05T19:00:00Z

A flattened Sun hovers beside NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory as the observing team prepares for another night of scanning the sky. To the left of Rubin are the Rubin Auxiliary Telescope ( AuxTel ) (left) and the Rubin Seeing Monitor (right), both of which help measure the atmosphere above the site. The flattening of the Sun is a mirage caused by atmospheric refraction, in which denser, colder air layers near the…

Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Artemis III Orion Crew and Service Modules Joined

2026-08-05T17:31:00Z

Engineers connect the Orion crew and service modules for the Artemis III mission inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Credit: NASA

NASA’s Perseverance Captures Phobos and Earth

2026-08-05T15:28:03Z

Description This composite of seven images from the Mastcam-Z instrument aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover shows Earth, visible as a small bright dot moving from upper left to lower right, passing behind the Martian moon Phobos on July 2, 2026, 1,907th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The black background is the result of […] The post NASA’s Perseverance Captures Phobos and Earth appeared first on NASA…

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Spokes on Saturn's B Ring

2026-08-05T12:00:00Z

Don’t get spooked by Saturn’s ghostly spokes! Today we feature a nearly two-hour timelapse of Saturn and its rings looping forwards and backwards. If you look closely, a ghoulish shadow appears and disappears as Saturn’s B ring rotates. Decades of observation with Voyager 2, Cassini, and Hubble show the appearance of Saturn’s spokes varies with the planet’s seasons. Like Earth, Saturn’s spin axis is tilted compared…

Credit: Brad Croslin

The Paradox of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

2026-08-05T04:01:00Z

The coastal dune field in Brazil looks like a desert but fills with freshwater lagoons every year. The post The Paradox of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park appeared first on NASA Science .

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Roman Space Telescope Plaque Install

2026-08-04T15:54:00Z

Technicians inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center complete installation of a commemorative plaque on the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, as photographed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

Credit: NASA

Curious Cometary Knots in the Helix Nebula

2026-08-04T12:00:00Z

What causes unusual knots of gas and dust in planetary nebulas? Seen also in the Ring Nebula, the Dumbbell Nebula and NGC 2392, the knots' existence was not initially predicted, and their origins are still not well understood. Pictured here is a fascinating image of part of the Helix Nebula by the James Webb Space Telescope showing tremendous detail in infrared light. The cometary knots have masses similar to the…

Credit: NASA — public domain

Smoke Streams Across Eastern Washington

2026-08-04T04:00:00Z

Wildland fires in early August 2026 pushed air quality to unhealthy levels, destroyed hundreds of structures, and triggered mandatory evacuations in Spokane. The post Smoke Streams Across Eastern Washington appeared first on NASA Science .

Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

Guinea-Bissau Tidal Waters

2026-08-03T17:16:00Z

Relatively low tidal waters expose sandflats and mudflats in the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea-Bissau in this image acquired on November 28, 2025, with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. These coastal landforms support an array of invertebrates, making the archipelago a popular stopover for migratory shorebirds.

Credit: NASA

Vaporizing Meteor Photobombs the Lacerta Nebula

2026-08-03T12:00:00Z

What's happening to this meteor? This bright meteor streak appeared and disappeared quickly during a long exposure of the Great Lacerta Nebula, seen faintly in red toward the center of the image. The meteoroid, likely a small pebble, creates its glow partly by heating and exciting surrounding air in Earth's atmosphere, but itself vaporizes and leaves wind-blown gas and dust with colors that give clues to its…

Credit: Tom Burnett

Unmasking an unusual asteroid

2026-08-03T04:00:00Z

Today's Picture of the Week depicts different angles of a very peculiar asteroid named (44) Nysa. Asteroids are leftovers from the formation of planets in the Solar System, with the majority found in a circular belt between Mars and Jupiter . These rocky bodies come in various shapes and sizes , but new images of (44) Nysa, located at the inner edge of the asteroid belt, reveal an unusual structure unlike anything…

Credit: ESO

A Fire Rainbow over West Virginia

2026-08-02T12:00:00Z

What's happening to this cloud? Ice crystals in a distant cirrus cloud are acting like little floating prisms. Known informally as a fire rainbow for its flame-like appearance, a circumhorizon arc appears parallel to the horizon. For a circumhorizontal arc to be visible, the Sun must be at least 58 degrees high in a sky where cirrus clouds present below -- in this case cirrus fibratus. The numerous, flat, hexagonal…

Credit: Christa Harbig

Buck Moon and Belt of Venus

2026-08-01T12:00:00Z

The Buck Moon is a traditional name for the full moon of July. In this colorful Adriatic sea and skyscape captured on July 28 from Krk Island along the coast of Croatia, a full Buck Moon is just rising over distant mountains. Since a full moon rises as the Sun sets, Earth's shadow also rises in the twilight scene, a diffuse gray band extending above the mountainous southeastern horizon. Above Earth's shadow band is…

Credit: Branko Nadj

NASA's Newest Wind Tunnel Opens at NASA Langley

2026-07-31T20:20:00Z

NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

Credit: NASA

NGC 4372 and the Dark Doodad

2026-07-31T12:00:00Z

The Dark Doodad Nebula drifts through southern skies, a tantalizing target for binoculars toward the small constellation Musca, The Fly. A dusty interstellar cloud, it's seen against rich starfields just south of the Coalsack Nebula and the Southern Cross. Stretching for about 3 degrees across this telescopic field of view, the Dark Doodad is punctuated near its southern tip (upper right) by yellowish globular star…

Credit: Alessandro Cipolat Bares

Starburst Galaxy Centaurus A

2026-07-30T14:24:00Z

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reveals the nearby galaxy Centaurus A, exposing the dusty structures and hidden activity that shape this unusual system.

Credit: NASA

Red Sun through Wildfire Smoke

2026-07-30T12:00:00Z

This could be the view from an exoplanet orbiting around a red dwarf star, but it is our own Sun. This image was taken on July 22, 2026, in the Okanagan region in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Wildfire smoke from the Pacific Northwest acted as a solar filter, allowing the photographer to take this photo of the Sun directly. Several sunspots are also visible in this eerie image; just below and right of…

Credit: Debra Ceravolo

Sunset in the Sonoran Desert

2026-07-29T19:00:00Z

The setting Arizona Sun drenches the telescopes of the U.S. National Science Foundation Kitt Peak National Observatory ( KPNO ), a Program of NSF NOIRLab, in soft sunlight before the night’s observations begin. The beautiful landscape of the Tohono O'odham Nation seems to blend into the horizon from this viewpoint, one of the highest points in the Quinlan Mountains. KPNO is home to nearly two dozen telescopes, one…

Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made

2026-07-29T15:48:00Z

This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars' atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA's MAVEN mission.

Credit: NASA