-
Cygnus Takes Flight
Photograph courtesy Bill Ingalls, NASA
This stunning false-color infrared image shows in stark detail the fiery blast of the Antares rocket carrying the commercial Cygnus cargo ship on its maiden flight from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on September 18.
Orbital Sciences Corporation of Dulles, Virginia, is demonstrating for the first time the flight capabilities of its new unmanned resupply spaceship, which is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station on September 22.
The spacecraft will deliver about 1,300 pounds (589 kilograms) of cargo, including food and clothing, to the Expedition 37 crew.
—Andrew Fazekas
Published September 20, 2013
-
Cooking in the Prawn Nebula
Photograph courtesy Martin Pugh and ESO
Definitely not shrimp-size at 50 light-years wide, the Prawn nebula poses in its sharpest portrait ever, courtesy of the Paranal Observatory in Chile.
Clumps of newborn stars are nestled inside this giant gas cloud located some 6,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius.
Published September 20, 2013
-
Blush of Spring
Photograph courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS/NASA
The southern parts of the Australian continent begin to green as springtime approaches, seen here in this natural-color image acquired by NASA's Aqua satellite on September 13.
New South Wales and South Australia saw abundant winter rains, which have sparked dramatic plant growth in just the first two weeks of September.
Published September 20, 2013
-
Brain Terrain
Photograph courtesy U. Arizona/NASA
In this high-resolution image snapped by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on August 23, mysterious lobes of pure water ice dubbed "brain terrain" appear at the base of a frozen hill on the red planet.
Recent studies suggest that large glacial deposits in the Martian northern hemisphere, where these bizarre swirly ice features are located, may have undergone multiple thermal expansions and contractions since their formation over 100 million years ago.
Published September 20, 2013
-
Blooming Trifid
Photograph by Fred Herrmann, National Geographic Your Shot
Like a cosmic flower blooming amongst the stars, the colorful and famous Trifid nebula is captured in this image taken through a backyard telescope in Huntsville, Alabama, on September 19.
A star-forming region in the plane of our Milky Way galaxy that sculpted itself into pillars and jets of gas and dust, the Trifid cloud spans some 40 light-years across and sits about 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius.
Published September 20, 2013
-
20 comments
There's no way the colouring on this picture can be accurate. Way more yellow-brown/beige in the region pictured.. it is no way near this green - especially this luscious looking green they have here. -- This picture is as if we are looking at some sub-tropical forested area, whereas this area pictured is rolling plains for the most part covered with yellow scrub grass -- or maybe the green just shows up better in outer space LOL.. Do the Victorians pay you guys for this kind of embellishment?? Hahaha :)
brilliant photography - well done!!! National Geographic always has the best photographers!!!
More Space Pictures
Recently
Trending News
-
Mystery of Deadly Volcanic Eruption Solved?
Using ice cores, geochemistry, tree rings, and ancient texts, scientists discover which volcano erupted in the 13th century with worldwide effects.
-
First Cloud Map of Exoplanet
For the first time, astronomers can forecast cloudy skies on a distant exoplanet.
-
First Face Found—On a Fish
The extinct animal's face structure could help explain how vertebrates, including people, evolved our distinctive look.
Advertisement
Connect With Nat Geo
Got Something to Share?
Special Ad Section
Great Energy Challenge Blog
Sustainable Earth
-
Help Save the Colorado River
NG's new Change the Course campaign launches.
-
New Models for Fishing
Future of Fish is helping fishermen improve their bottom line while better managing stocks for the future.
-
Can Pesticides Grow Organic Crops?
The Change Reaction blog investigates in California.
