The Week's Coolest Space Images
Compound View Of The Hybrid Solar Eclipse (Header Image)
This compound view shows the solar eclipse of 3 November 2013 just before, during, and just after the total phase. At the start and end of the total phase light can shine through lunar valleys to create the diamond ring effect and during the total phase many red prominences and the Sun's chromosphere are apparent.
The Dragon Takes Off
At 5:42 a.m. EDT Friday, June 29, 2018, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft lifts off on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Dragon is carrying more than 5,900 pounds of research, equipment, cargo and supplies that will support dozens of scientific investigations aboard the International Space Station.
A Burst Of Celestial Fireworks
Like a July 4 fireworks display, a young, glittering collection of stars resembles an aerial burst. The cluster is surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust – the raw material for new star formation. The nebula, located 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina, contains a central cluster of huge, hot stars, called NGC 3603.
Seeing Jupiter
This image of Jupiter's southern hemisphere was captured by NASA's Juno spacecraft on the outbound leg of a close flyby of the gas-giant planet. Citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill created this image using data from the spacecraft's JunoCam imager.
County Fire Lights Up The Night
Light from the County Fire illuminated the night skies of Northern California when the Suomi NPP satellite acquired this image overnight on July 1, 2018. With plenty of light from a nearly full Moon, the smoke was even visible streaming southwest toward San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.
Lunar Agenda
This image of the Moon was taken by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst from the International Space Station during his Horizons mission. But he's not the only one to be eyeing the Moon these days.