image of the day

Latest about image of the day

A nebula. The top-left is dense with layers of fluffy pink and greenish clouds. Long strands of green clouds stretch out from here; a faint layer of translucent blue dust combines with them to create a three-dimensional scene. A sparse network of dark dust clouds in the foreground adds reddish-black patches atop the nebula. Blue-white and orange stars, from our galaxy and beyond, are spread amongst the clouds.

Hubble spots star-forming area of Tarantula nebula | Space photo of the day for Aug. 12, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The Tarantula nebula was recently captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, where the Scylla program helped create the colored image of this star-forming area.

Hubble Space Telescope
A series of white streaks against a dark background show the star trails in orbit

ISS astronaut captures breathtaking star trails | Space photo of the day for Aug. 11, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

This long-exposure image from the International Space Station shows the growing tension between celestial beauty and human expansion into space.

International Space Station
A bunch of people wearing bright yellow jumpsuits and white hard hats stand around a large vertical golden covered rocket.

European weather satellite readied for launch on Ariane 6 rocket | Space photo of the day for Aug. 8, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The MetOp-SG-A1 weather satellite is loaded onto the Ariane 6 launch adapter as part of a mission for the European Space Agency.

Launches & Spacecraft
An audience looks at an arced screen dotted with stars and galaxies as the first images from the Rubin Observatory are revealed.

Planetarium celebrates 1st images from Vera Rubin Observatory | Space photo of the day for August 7, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The Prague Planetarium hosted a first-watch party to unveil the first images captured by the Vera Rubin Observatory

Astronomy
A streak of a shooting star can be seen in the night sky with silhouettes of pine trees in the foreground

Meteor lights up West Virginia night sky | Space photo of the day for August 6, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The shooting star was part of the Perseid and Alpha Capricornids meteor showers.

Stargazing
A domed building is under construction in the middle of a desert, surrounded by cranes and machines and scaffolding.

Extremely Large Telescope gets a roof | Space photo of the day for August 5, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The world's largest optical telescope is still under construction but is raising the roof on its progress.

Astronomy
A sunrise streaks golden light out over the water near a silhouette of a rocket on a launch pad on the left of the image

Sunrise hits SpaceX's Crew-11 rocket on the pad | Space photo of the day for August 4, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The day seemed particularly promising on July 31, 2025.

Private Spaceflight
A photo of Earth from space shows its green landscape with a large brown shape in the middle where a drained lake sits

Big lake in Quebec suddenly disappears, satellite finds | Space photo of the day for August 1, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The lake was completely drained in the spring of 2025.

Earth
A golden ring of light surrounds a dark circle in the middle of the image with a golden smaller circle to the right

ERIS spots spiral disc around young star | Space photo of the day for July 31, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

A possible planet may be carving the disc around the young star

Astronomy
A wrapped up satellite sits on a metal cart next to two halves of a large cylindrical case, both also on carts in a cleanroom

Powerful NISAR Earth-observing satellite loaded up for launch in India | Space photo of the day for July 30, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The satellite will scan the Earth twice every 12 days.

Satellites
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