NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

A Lesson in Counting Stars

These two photographs were made by combining data from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft and the Cerro Tololo International Observatory in Chile.

NASA's Galaxy Mission Celebrates Sixth Anniversary

NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer Mission celebrates its sixth anniversary studying galaxies beyond our Milky Way through its sensitive ultraviolet telescope, the only such far-ultraviolet detector in space.

NASA's Galaxy Mission Celebrates Sixth Anniversary

This image is a blend of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer’s M33 image and another taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

Galaxy Mission Celebrates Sixth Anniversary

NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer Mission marks its sixth anniversary studying galaxies beyond our Milky Way through its ultraviolet telescope.

NASA's Galaxy Mission Celebrates Sixth Anniversary

In these side-by-side images of M33, the ultraviolet image on the left was taken by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer, while the ultraviolet and infrared image on the right is a blend of the mission's M33 image and another taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

The Extended Region Around the Planetary Nebula NGC 3242

This ultraviolet image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows NGC 3242, a planetary nebula frequently referred to as "Jupiter's Ghost."

Seeing Baby Dwarf Galaxies

The unique ultraviolet vision reveals, for the first time, dwarf galaxies forming out of nothing more than pristine gas likely leftover from the early universe.

'Ghost of Mirach' Rears its Spooky Head

The "Ghost of Mirach" galaxy, as seen in the ultraviolet.

A Cosmic Embrace

From 22 light-years away, galaxy M106 extends two ultraviolet-bright spiral arms in this image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer.

Portrait of a Galaxy's Life

New evidence from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer supports the long-held notion that many galaxies begin life as smaller spirals before transforming into larger, elliptical-shaped galaxies.

NGC 300

This image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 300, located about seven million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor.

NGC 1291

This image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 1291, located about 33 million light-years away in the constellation Eradinus.

NGC 4569

This image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 4569, located about four million light-years away in the constellation Virgo.

NGC 1316

This image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 1316, located about 62 million light-years away in the constellation Fornax.

A Real Shooting Star

This artist's animation illustrates a star flying through our galaxy at supersonic speeds, leaving a 13-light-year-long trail of glowing material in its wake.

Supersonic Bullet

A bullet traveling through air at about 1.5 times the speed of sound can be seen in this image.

Mira's Tail There All Along

NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer discovered an exceptionally long comet-like tail of material trailing behind Mira.

Evolution of Mira's Enormous Tail

Mira Soars Through the Sky

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, No It's Mira!