Browse Archive

  • Young Stars in Their Baby Blanket of Dust

    Newborn stars peek out from beneath their natal blanket of dust in this dynamic image of the Rho Ophiuchi dark cloud from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

  • Dusty Baby Blanket Nestles Young Stars

    This image of the Rho Ophiuchi dark cloud was obtained by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, and shows newborn stars peeking out from beneath a dust blanker.

  • representation of galaxies in and surrounding a galaxy cluster

    Celestial Cities and the Roads That Connect Them

    This is a representation of galaxies in and surrounding a galaxy cluster called Abell 1763.

  • Slender Galaxy with Robust Black Hole

    Slender Galaxy with Robust Black Hole

    This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope indicates that a flat, spiral galaxy called NGC 3621 has a feeding, supermassive black hole lurking within it.

  • This artist's concept illustrates the two types of spiral galaxies that populate our universe.

    Galaxies of all Shapes Host Black Holes

    This artist's concept illustrates the two types of spiral galaxies that populate our universe: those with plump middles, or central bulges (upper left), and those lacking the bulge (foreground).

  • blown-out remains of a stellar explosion

    Cosmic Ornament of Gas and Dust

    This beautiful bulb might look like a Christmas ornament but it is the blown-out remains of a stellar explosion, or supernova.

  • different Spitzer views of the blown-out remains of a stellar explosion

    Dusty Celestial Ornaments

    These are different Spitzer Space Telescope views of the blown-out remains of a stellar explosion, or supernova.

  • spectrum of data

    Dissecting the Wake of a Supernova Explosion

    The spectrum reveals the composition of gas and dust that were synthesized in a star explosion.

  • A rare, infrared view of a developing star and its flaring jets.

    Spinning Top Star

    A rare, infrared view of a developing star and its flaring jets taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (right) shows us what our own solar system might have looked like billions of years ago.

  • This artist's animation begins by showing a dark and dusty corner of space where little visible light can escape.

    Pulling Back the Curtain of Dust

    This artist's animation begins by showing a dark and dusty corner of space where little visible light can escape.

  • infrared view of developing star and its flaring jets

    Baby Picture of our Solar System

    A rare, infrared view of a developing star and its flaring jets taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows us what our own solar system might have looked like billions of years ago.

  • This is an artist's rendition of the one-million-year-old star system called UX Tau A

    UX Tau A

    This is an artist's rendition of the one-million-year-old star system called UX Tau A, located approximately 450 light-years away.

  • Bubbly Little Star

    Bubbly Little Star

    In this processed Spitzer Space Telescope image, baby star HH 46/47 can be seen blowing two massive "bubbles."

  • Active supermassive black holes (circled in blue)

    Missing Black Holes Found!

    A long-lost population of active supermassive black holes, or quasars, has been uncovered by NASA's Spitzer and Chandra space telescopes.

  • Distant galaxies detected with the Spitzer Space Telescope

    Stacks of Light

    These two images show "stacked" Chandra images for two different classes of distant, massive galaxy detected with Spitzer.

  • Artist concept of a growing black hole

    Bursting with Stars and Black Holes

    A growing black hole, called a quasar, can be seen at the center of a faraway galaxy in this artist's concept.

  • plot showing vast reservoirs of hot gas in a galaxy about a billion light-years away

    Cosmic Caper Unfolds in Infrared

    This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals vast reservoirs of hot gas in a galaxy about a billion light-years away.

  • two galaxies

    Wanted: Galactic Thief Who Steals Gas

    A big galaxy is stealing gas right off the "back" of its smaller companion in this new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

  • Artist concept of dusty grains in the winds of a quasar

    Dust in the Quasar Wind

    Dusty grains - including tiny specks of the minerals found in the gemstones peridot, sapphires and rubies - can be seen blowing in the winds of a quasar, or active black hole, in this artist's concept.

  • Plot of data of the dust in the wind of a quasar

    A Wealth of Dust Grains in Quasar Winds

    This plot of data captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope reveals dust entrained in the winds rushing away from a quasar, or growing black hole.