Globular Cluster NGC 1851 in the Southern Constellation Columba
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of the globular cluster NGC 1851 in the southern constellation Columba. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Artist Concept of Galaxy Evolution Explorer
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer was launched on April 28, 2003. Its mission is to study the shape, brightness, size and distance of galaxies across 10 billion years of cosmic history. The 50-centimeter-diameter (... More
New Galaxy Quest Readies for Launch
In the Multi-Payload Processing Facility, workers check the deployment of the cover of the telescope on NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer, an orbiting space telescope observing galaxies in ultraviolet light across... More
GALEX 1st Light Compilation, JPL/NASA images
This compilation shows the constellation Hercules, as imaged on May 21 and 22, 2003, by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The images were captured by the two channels of the spacecraft camera during the mission f... More
GALEX 1st Light Near Ultraviolet -50
This image was taken May 21 and 22, 2003, by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The image was made from data gathered by the two channels of the spacecraft camera during the mission first light milestone. NASA/JPL/Caltech
GALEX 1st Light Near Ultraviolet
This image was taken on May 21 and 22, 2003, by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The image was made from data gathered during the missions first light milestone, and shows celestial objects in the constellation ... More
GALEX 1st Light Far Ultraviolet
This image was taken May 21 and 22, 2003 by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The image was made from data gathered by the far ultraviolet channel of the spacecraft camera during the mission first light milestone... More
GALEX 1st Light Near and Far Ultraviolet -100
NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer took this image on May 21 and 22, 2003. The image was made from data gathered by the two channels of the spacecraft camera during the mission's "first light" milestone. It shows... More
Galaxy UGC10445, JPL/NASA images
This ultraviolet color image of the galaxy UGC10445 was taken by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 7 and June 14, 2003. UGC10445 is a spiral galaxy located 40 million light-years from Earth. http://photoj... More
Galaxy Centaurus A, JPL/NASA images
This image of the active galaxy Centaurus A was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 7, 2003. The galaxy is located 30 million light-years from Earth and is seen edge on, with a prominent dust lane... More
Groth Deep Image, JPL/NASA images
This ultraviolet color blowup of the Groth Deep Image was taken by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 22 and June 23, 2003. Many hundreds of galaxies are detected in this portion of the image. NASA astrono... More
Groth Deep Locations Image, JPL/NASA images
NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer photographed this ultraviolet color blowup of the Groth Deep Image on June 22 and June 23, 2003. Hundreds of galaxies are detected in this portion of the image, and the faint re... More
Deep Imaging Survey, JPL/NASA images
This is the first Deep Imaging Survey image taken by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. On June 22 and 23, 2003, the spacecraft obtained this near ultraviolet image of the Groth region by adding multiple orbits fo... More
Galaxy Messier 51, JPL/NASA images
NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer took this image of the spiral galaxy Messier 51 on June 19 and 20, 2003. Messier 51 is located 27 million light-years from Earth. Due to a lack of star formation, the companion ... More
Galaxy M101, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This three-color image of galaxy M101 was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 20, 2003. The far ultraviolet emissions are shown in blue, the near ultraviolet emissions are green, and the red emiss... More
Messier 101, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer took this near ultraviolet image of Messier 101 on June 20, 2003. Messier 101 is a large spiral galaxy located 20 million light-years from Earth. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov... More
Messier 101 Single Orbit Exposure
This single orbit exposure, ultraviolet color image of Messier 101 was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 20, 2003. Messier 101 is a large spiral galaxy located 20 million light-years from Earth.... More
Galaxy NGC5398, JPL/NASA images
This is an ultraviolet color image of the galaxy NGC5398 taken by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 7, 2003. NGC5398 is a barred spiral galaxy located 60 million light-years from Earth. The star formation ... More
Galaxy NGC5474, JPL/NASA images
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer took this ultraviolet color image of the galaxy NGC5474 on June 7, 2003. NGC5474 is located 20 million light-years from Earth and is within a group of galaxies dominated by the Me... More
Galaxy NGC5962, JPL/NASA images
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer took this ultraviolet color image of the galaxy NGC5962 on June 7, 2003. This spiral galaxy is located 90 million light-years from Earth. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog... More
Galaxy Messier 83, JPL/NASA images
This image of the spiral galaxy Messier 83 was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer on June 7, 2003. Located 15 million light years from Earth and known as the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy, Messier 83 displays... More
Andromeda Galaxy, JPL/NASA images
This image is from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is an observation of the large galaxy in Andromeda, Messier 31. The Andromeda galaxy is the most massive in the local group of galaxies that includes our Milky ... More
Galaxy NGC 247, JPL/NASA images
This image of the dwarf spiral galaxy NGC 247 was taken by Galaxy Evolution Explorer on October 13, 2003, in a single orbit exposure of 1600 seconds. The region that looks like a "hole" in the upper part of the... More
Galaxy NGC 55, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image of the nearby edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 55 was taken by Galaxy Evolution Explorer on September 14, 2003, during 2 orbits. This galaxy lies 5.4 million light years from our Milky Way galaxy and is a m... More
Galaxy NGC 300, JPL/NASA images
This image of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 300 was taken by Galaxy Evolution Explorer in a single orbit exposure of 27 minutes on October 10, 2003. NGC 300 lies 7 million light years from our Milky Way galaxy a... More
Stephan Quintet and NGC 7331. NASA public domain image colelction.
Galaxy Evolution Explorer observation of Stephan's Quintet and the nearby galaxy NGC 7331. Blue represents far ultraviolet, and red near ultraviolet. Stephan's quintet is an interacting group of galaxies. Close... More
Globular Cluster Messier 2 in Aquarius
This image of the Globular cluster Messier 2 (M2) was taken by Galaxy Evolution Explorer on August 20, 2003. This image is a small section of a single All Sky Imaging Survey exposure of only 129 seconds in the ... More
Happy Anniversary to a Galactic Explorer
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer specializes in surveying galaxies in ultraviolet light. Its telescope, 50 centimeters (19.7 inches) in diameter, has a field of view that is much wider than most ground-based and s... More
Baby Galaxies in the Adult Universe
This artist's conception illustrates the decline in our universe's "birth-rate" over time. When the universe was young, massive galaxies were forming regularly, like baby bees in a bustling hive. In time, the u... More
Nearby Newborns, JPL/NASA images
This image shows six of the three-dozen "ultraviolet luminous galaxies" spotted in our corner of the universe by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer. These massive galaxies greatly resemble newborn galaxies that w... More
Fires of Galactic Youth Artist Animation
This artist's animation shows a typical young galaxy, teeming with hot, newborn stars and exploding supernovas. The supernovas are seen as white flashes of light. NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer spotted three... More
Classic Galaxy with Glamour, JPL/NASA images
Young hot blue stars dominate the outer spiral arms of nearby galaxy NGC 300, while the older stars congregate in the nuclear regions which appear yellow-green in this image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer.... More
A Barred Spiral Galaxy, and the Small Elliptical Companion Galaxy NGC...
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the interacting pair NGC 1097, a barred spiral galaxy, and the small elliptical companion galaxy NGC 1097A. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1365. NASA public domain image colelction.
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365, which is a member of the Fornax Cluster of Galaxies. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07901 NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Planetary Nebula NGC 7293 also Known as the Helix Nebula
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of the planetary nebula NGC 7293 also known as the Helix Nebula. It is the nearest example of what happens to a star, like our own Sun, as it approa... More
Southern Pinwheel Galaxy M83, JPL/NASA images
Ultraviolet images such as this one from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer suggest the M83 has unusual pockets of star formation separated by large distances from the spiral arms in the main disk of the galaxy. ... More
Large Face on Spiral Galaxy NGC 3344
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of the large face on spiral galaxy NGC 3344. The inner spiral arms are wrapped so tightly that they are difficult to distinguish. http://photojourn... More
Interacting Group of Galaxies Known as Stephan Quintet
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of the interacting group of galaxies known as Stephan Quintet NGC 7317, NGC 7318A, NGC 7318B, NGC 7319, NGC 7320, lower left. Of the five galaxies i... More
Virgo Galaxy Cluster, JPL/NASA images
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of a small area of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07906 NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Diverse Group of Galaxy Types, NGC 3190 Field
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of a diverse group of galaxy types. NGC 3190 is a dusty edge on spiral galaxy. NGC 3187 is highly distorted. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Face on Barred and Ringed Spiral Galaxy NGC 3351
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer left and visual image right of the face on barred and ringed spiral galaxy NGC 3351 M95. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Barred Ring Galaxy NGC 1291. NASA public domain image colelction.
This ultraviolet image left and visual image right from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of the barred ring galaxy NGC 1291. The VIS image is dominated by the inner disk and bar. The UV image is dominated by t... More
Irregular Dwarf Galaxy IC 1613. NASA public domain image colelction.
This ultraviolet image left and visual image right from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of the irregular dwarf galaxy IC 1613. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
NGC 5128 Centaurus-A, JPL/NASA images
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is of NGC 5128 Centaurus-A. This unusual galaxy is believed to be the result of a collision of two normal galaxies. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC
Dwarf Star Erupts in Giant Flare
This image taken by NASAS Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows one of the largest flares, or star eruptions, ever recorded at ultraviolet wavelengths. This star is called GJ 3685A. NASA/JPL-Caltech
It Not a Bird or a Plane. NASA public domain image colelction.
Since its launch in 2003, NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer the space telescope originally designed to observe galaxies across the universe in ultraviolet light has discovered a festive sky blinking with flaring a... More
Surprise Ultraviolet Party in the Sky
A group of six streaking objects, the identities of which remain unknown, can be seen here flying across the telescope sight in this image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Hello to Arms, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image highlights the hidden spiral arms blue that were discovered around the nearby galaxy NGC 4625 by the ultraviolet eyes of NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Carnegie Observatories/DSS
Galactic Halos of Hydrogen, JPL/NASA images
This image shows two companion galaxies, NGC 4625 top and NGC 4618 bottom, and their surrounding cocoons of cool hydrogen gas purple. The huge set of spiral arms on NGC 4625 blue was discovered by the ultraviol... More
Look at my Arms!, JPL/NASA images
This image shows the hidden spiral arms that were discovered around the galaxy called NGC 4625 top by the ultraviolet eyes of NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. An armless companion galaxy called NGC 4618 is pictu... More
Anatomy of a Triangulum, JPL/NASA images
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows M33, the Triangulum Galaxy, is a perennial favorite of amateur and professional astronomers alike, due to its orientation and relative proximity to us. NASA/... More
GALEX Distributes Local Galactic Treasures at AAS
From sparkling blue rings to dazzling golden disks and mined from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer Survey of Nearby Galaxies data, these cosmic gems were collected with the telescope sensitive ultraviolet instrum... More
Triple Scoop from Galaxy Hunter
Located 10 million light-years away in the southern constellation Sculptor, the Silver Dollar galaxy, or NGC 253, is one of the brightest spiral galaxies in the night sky as seen in this edge-on view from NASA ... More
An Unwelcome Place for New Stars artist concept
This artist concept depicts a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy. NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer found evidence that black holes once they grow to a critical size stifle the formation of new star... More
Big Black Holes Mean Bad News for Stars diagram
This diagram illustrates research from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer showing that black holes once they reach a critical size can put the brakes on new star formation in elliptical galaxies. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Y... More
Black Hole Grabs Starry Snack Artist Concept
This artist concept shows a supermassive black hole at the center of a remote galaxy digesting the remnants of a star. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Ghostly Remnant of an Explosive Past
This enhanced image from the far-ultraviolet detector on NASA Galaxy Evolution shows a ghostly shell of ionized gas around Z Camelopardalis, a binary, or double-star system featuring a collapsed, dead star know... More
Scene of Multiple Explosions, JPL/NASA images
This composite image NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows Z Camelopardalis, or Z Cam, a double-star system featuring a collapsed, dead star, called a white dwarf, and a companion star, as well as a ghostly shel... More
Explosions - Large and Small Artist Concept
This artist concept is of Z Camelopardalis Z Cam, a stellar system featuring a collapsed, dead star, or white dwarf, and a companion star. This image shows one of the first regions of Mars measured after CRISM ... More
Galaxy Mission Completes Four Star-Studded Years in Space
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is celebrates its fourth year in space with some of M81 hottest stars. In this ultraviolet image, the magnificent M81 spiral galaxy is shown at the center. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvar... More
Galaxy Evolution Explorer Spies Band of Stars
Globular star cluster NGC 362, in a false-color image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Virginia The Galaxy Evolution Explorer's ultraviolet eyes have captured a g... More
Mira Soars Through the Sky. NASA public domain image colelction.
New ultraviolet images from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows a speeding star that is leaving an enormous trail of eeds for new solar systems. The star, named Mira pronounced my-rah after the latin word for ... More
Anatomy of a Shooting Star. NASA public domain image colelction.
A close-up view of a star racing through space faster than a speeding bullet can be seen in this image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer. The star is called Mira pronounced My-rah. NASA/JPL-Caltech
A Real Shooting Star Artist Concept
This artist concept illustrates a star flying through our galaxy at supersonic speeds, leaving a 13-light-year-long trail of glowing material in its wake. The star, named Mira pronounced my-rah after the latin ... More
Mira Tail There All Along. NASA public domain image colelction.
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer discovered an exceptionally long comet-like tail of material trailing behind Mira -- a star that has been studied thoroughly for about 400 years. NASA/JPL-Caltech/POSS-II/DSS
Portrait of a Galaxy Life. NASA public domain image colelction.
Evidence from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer supports the long-held notion that many galaxies begin life as smaller spirals before transforming into larger, elliptical-shaped galaxies. NASA/JPL-Caltech/CTIO/Las... More
NGC 300, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 300, located about seven million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. It is a classic spiral galaxy with open arms and vigorous sta... More
NGC 1291, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 1291, located about 33 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. NGC 1291 is notable for its unusual inner bar and outer ring st... More
NGC 4569, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 4569 in the constellation Virgo. It is one of the largest and brightest spiral galaxies found in the Virgo cluster of galaxies, the nearest ma... More
NGC 1316, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the galaxy NGC 1316, located about 62 million light-years away in the constellation Fornax. The elliptical-shaped galaxy may be in the late stages of merging... More
Beyond the Borders of a Galaxy. NASA public domain image colelction.
The outlying regions around the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, or M83, are highlighted in this composite image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer and the National Science Foundation Very Large Array in New Mexico. ... More
Ultraviolet Extensions, JPL/NASA images
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows the Southern Pinwheel galaxy, also know as Messier 83 or M83. It is located 15 million light-years away in the southern constellation Hydra. NASA... More
Galaxy Evolution Explorer Celebrates Five Years in Space
Since its launch five years ago, the Galaxy Evolution Explorer has photographed hundreds of millions of galaxies in ultraviolet light. M106 is one of those galaxies, 22 light years away, it strikes a pose in bl... More
Ghost of Mirach Rears its Spooky Head
The Ghost of Mirach galaxy is shown in visible light on the left, and in ultraviolet as seen by NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer on the right. The fields of view are identical in both pictures, with the Ghost of ... More
Seeing Baby Dwarf Galaxies, JPL/NASA images
The unique ultraviolet vision of NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer revealed, for the first time, dwarf galaxies forming out of nothing more than pristine gas likely leftover from the early universe. NASA/JPL-Caltech/DSS
The Extended Region Around the Planetary Nebula NGC 3242
This ultraviolet image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows NGC 3242, a planetary nebula frequently referred to as Jupiter Ghost. The small circular white and blue area at the center of the image is the we... More
Adding up Stars in a Galaxy. NASA public domain image colelction.
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory combined data making this diagram illustratrating the extent to which astronomers have been underestimating the proportion o... More
A Lesson in Counting Stars. NASA public domain image colelction.
These two photographs were made by combining data from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer spacecraft and the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile to learn that not all galaxies make stars of different s... More
Now You See a Tail, Now You Dont
NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer found a tail behind a galaxy called IC 3418. This star-studded tail was created as the galaxy plunged into gas in a family of galaxies known as the Virgo cluster. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Planets Under a Red Sun Artist Concept
This artist concept illustrates a young, red dwarf star surrounded by three planets. NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer is helping to identify young, red dwarf stars that are close to us by detecting their ultravio... More
Dark Energy and Gravity: Yin and Yang of the Universe Artist Concept
New results from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer and the Anglo-Australian Telescope atop Siding Spring Mountain in Australia confirm that dark energy is a smooth, uniform force that now dominates over the effect... More
How to Measure the Universe. NASA public domain image colelction.
This diagram based on results from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer and the Anglo-Australian Telescope illustrates two ways to measure how fast the universe is expanding. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Black Hole Swallows a Star. NASA public domain image colelction.
These images, taken with NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer and the Pan-STARRS1 telescope in Hawaii, show a brightening inside a galaxy caused by a flare from its nucleus. The arrow in each image points to the gala... More
Andromeda, JPL/NASA images. NASA public domain image colelction.
Hot stars burn brightly in this new image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer, showing the ultraviolet side of a familiar face. Approximately 2.5 million light-years away, the Andromeda galaxy, or M31, is our M... More
Simulation of Galactic Collision Simulation
Computer simulations of the collision between NGC 6872 and IC 4970 reproduce the basic features of the galaxies as we see them today. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, after C. Horellou Onsala Space Observatory... More
Ultraviolet Ring of Stars, JPL/NASA images
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer GALEX shows Messier 94, also known as NGC 4736, in ultraviolet light. It is located 17 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Galaxy Pencil-Thin Profile, JPL/NASA images
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows NGC 4565, one of the nearest and brightest galaxies not included in the famous list by 18th-century comet hunter Charles Messier. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Big Brother to the Milky Way. NASA public domain image colelction.
This image from NASA Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows NGC 6744, one of the galaxies most similar to our Milky Way in the local universe. NASA/JPL-Caltech
After the Explosion: Investigating Supernova Sites
A new study analyzes several sites where dead stars once exploded. The explosions, called Type Ia supernovae, occurred within galaxies, six of which are shown in these images from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. SDSS
Frankenstein Galaxy, JPL/NASA images
The galaxy UGC 1382 has been revealed to be far larger and stranger than previously thought. Astronomers relied on a combination of ground-based and space telescopes to uncover the true nature of this "Frankens... More