Interstellar Medium Collection (#5)

Witchs Broom Nebula

Elephants trunk nebula inside IC 1396

The Dark Horse and Snake Nebulae in Ophiuchus
The region around the Pipe Nebula (B78), the main part of the naked-eye formation of dark nebulas called the Dark Horse. In photos it breaks up into patches of dark nebulosity

NGC 6188, starforming region in Ara

The Summer Triangle stars in the Milky Way through Cygnus, Lyra and Aquila. The frame takes in the Milky Way from Cepheus to Ophiuchus

Reflection nebula IC 4601 in the constellation Scorpius

An outer shell of gas and dust from an erupted star obscures the supernova within
In this artists rendering, an outer shell of gas and dust, which erupted from the star hundreds of years ago, obscures the supernova within

Voyager 2 spacecraft studies the outer limits of the heliosphere
This artists rendering depicts the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it studies the outer limits of the heliosphere, a magnetic bubble around the solar system that is created by the solar wind

IC 405, The Flaming Star Nebula in the constellation Auriga

NGC 6188 emission nebula in the Ara constellation

The Antennae Galaxies
Composite image of two colliding galaxies, known as the Antennae galaxies, or NGC 4038 and NGC 4039. The Antennae galaxies take their name from the long antenna-like arms

NGC 7000, The North America Nebula

Messier 57, the Ring Nebula

IC 1396 and Garnet Star in Cepheus
IC 1396, a large faint nebula in Cepheus, sometimes called the Elephant Trunk Nebula, though the actual Elephant Trunk feature is the dark protuberance just right of centre called van den Burgh 142

Emission Nebula iin Perseus

Some galaxies have powerfully active cores that emit jets of energy

A blue oval reflection nebula surrounded by a star carpet

The Heart and Soul Nebulae
Located in the Perseus Arm of the Galaxy, the Heart nebula, IC 1805 (right) and the Soul nebula, IC 1848 (left), are two bright emission nebulae in the constellation Cassiopeia

The Veil Nebula in the constellation Cygnus glows red

The Scutum star cloud in the northern summer Milky Way. Messier 11, the Wild Duck Cluster, is at left, and open cluster Messier 26 is at bottom

Widefield view of the Sagittarius Star Cloud with the Swan Nebula above and open cluster Messier 23 at lower right. Barnard 92 is the prominent dark nebula on right edge of star cloud

Flaming Star Nebula in the constellation Auriga

The Pelican Nebula (IC 5067) with Herbig-Haro objects

Artists concept of Cygnus X-1, a luminous x-ray source in the constellation Cygnus
In 1964 a luminous x-ray source in the sky caught the attention of astronomers. This source contained the first black hole discovered

NGC 6960, The Western Veil Nebula

NGC 1499, the California Nebula in the constellation Perseus

NGC 2359, Thors Helmet in Canis Major

Widefield view of star flux in Cygnus. Emission was subtracted to isolate star flux

Messier 16, The Eagle Nebula in Serpens

Cederblad 214 emission nebula in the constellation Cepheus

NGC 5189, Planetary Nebula in Musca. NGC 5189 represents the gaseous remains of a sunlike star which has entered its final stages of evolution

Full frame view of the Milky Way from horizon to horizon

NGC 346 and N66 in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Contained within the most massive and active star-forming region in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Two stars locked into a tight orbit around each other
Two stars are locked into a tight orbit around each other which are doomed to eventually join each other into one bright star

The Milky Way through Carina and Crux, with the Carina Nebula at right and the Southern Cross at left, and the Coalsack beside the Southern Cross. The Dark Doodad Nebula streak in Musca is at bottom

NGC 3372, The Eta Carinae Nebula

Supernova remnants and star clusters in the constellation Gemini
The Jellyfish Nebula, IC 443, at left near the star Eta Geminorum. IC 443 is a supernova remnant. At upper right is the bright open star cluster Messier 35

IC 1396, the Elephant Trunk Nebula

Cometary Globules CG 30 / 31 / 38 in the constellations Vela and Puppis
Cometary Globules CG 30/31/38 in the constellations Vela and Puppis. Bright rimmed globules and their more evolved cousin the cometary globule represent fascinating dynamic structures formed by

Open clusters Messier 35 and NGC 2158 in the constellation Gemini

The Jellyfish Nebula and associated nebulosity
The Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443), a supernova remnant in the constellation Gemini, and associated nebulosity such as IC 444 and LDN 1565, plus the Messier open cluster Messier 35 at right

The central region of the Lagoon Nebula, which is also known as Messier 8, in the constellation of Sagittarius

M57, The Ring Nebula. The inner shell glows green from ionized oxygen and nitrogen while hydrogen in the outer shell glows red

The Galactic Center of the Milky Way Galaxy

The Lagoon Nebula and Trifid Nebula
M8, the Lagoon Nebula and Messier 20, the Trifid Nebula

NASAs two Voyager spacecraft exploring a turbulent region of space
This artists concept shows NASAs two Voyager spacecraft exploring a turbulent region of space known as the heliosheath, the outer shell of the bubble of charged particles around our sun

Diagram of Energetic Neutral Atoms from a region outside Earths magnetopause
NASAs Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) found that Energetic Neutral Atoms, or ENAs, are coming from a region just outside Earths magnetopause where nearly stationary protons from the solar wind

Stars, nebulae and dust clouds around the center of the Milky Way

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

The interstellar medium, a vast expanse of gas and dust that fills the space between stars, is a captivating realm that holds countless wonders. In the heart of Serpens lies M16, better known as The Eagle Nebula, where towering pillars of gas and dust stretch towards the heavens like celestial skyscrapers. Within these majestic structures, new stars are born, their brilliant light illuminating the surrounding cosmos. Venturing further into the depths of space, we encounter IC 2177 - The Seagull Nebula. Here, ethereal clouds dance in cosmic harmony as they give birth to yet more stellar marvels, and is within this nebula that Voyager 1 spacecraft made history by crossing into interstellar space, becoming humanity's first emissary to venture beyond our solar system. But it is not only grandeur and birth that awaits us in this enigmatic domain; destruction also has its place. The Vela supernova remnant at the center of Gum Nebula serves as a haunting reminder of cataclysmic events that shape our universe. Its remnants tell tales of ancient explosions and violent forces unleashed upon unsuspecting celestial bodies. As we journey through this cosmic tapestry, we come across breathtaking sights such as NGC 6523 - The Lagoon Nebula - with its vibrant hues painting an otherworldly canvas against the backdrop of darkness. Nearby lies The Fox Fur Nebula; its wispy tendrils resembling an artist's brushstrokes on a galactic masterpiece. In regions like Tarantula Nebula star formation takes center stage – a spectacular display where massive clouds collapse under gravity's embrace to form new suns amidst swirling gases and glowing embers. And then there are phenomena like Zeta Ophiuchi bow shock – an infrared image capturing the moment when fast-moving star Zeta Ophiuchi creates ripples in interstellar material around it akin to waves crashing on distant shores.