Starry night sky over a volcanic landscape with a colorful twilight gradient in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, Atlantic, Europe

Young woman holding the Portuguese flag in Schengen European center, Schengen, Luxembourg, Europe

SpaceX Starlink Falcon 9 rocket launch as seen from the National Geographic Venture in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, North America

Christmas illuminations, Osaka, Honshu, Japan, Asia

Aerial view of the super full moon over the Tagus River in Lisbon, Portugal, Europe

SpaceX Starlink Falcon 9 rocket launch as seen from the National Geographic Venture in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, North America

Lone tree under the bright Milky Way at night, forest of Fanal, Madeira island, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Panoramic of majestic Monte Rosa glacier under the bright stars at night, Gornergrat, Zermatt, canton of Valais, Switzerland, Europe

Bright stars of Milky Way in the night sky over the Laurissilva Forest of Fanal, Madeira island, Portugal, Atlantic, Europe

Traditional clapboard creole cottage home and stars and stripes flag in Faubourg Marigny historic district of New Orleans, USA

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Self-portrait with aurora borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) and waxing moon over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) and waxing moon over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Common Sunstar (Crossaster Papposus). St Abbs Head, Scotland, UK, North Sea.

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Sea rod and brittle stars (Plexaurella nutans) and (Ophiothrix suensonii), Cayman Islands, Caribbean.

Star trails over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) and waxing moon over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) and waxing moon over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Aurora Borealis (Northern (Polar) Lights) over the boreal forest outside Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

Shadows from bright glowing light inside yurt

The centre of the galaxy area of the Milky Way toward Sagittarius and Scorpius, with the Sagittarius Starcloud right of centre, and the Lagoon Nebula (M8) left of centre. The Cat's Paw Nebula (NGC 6334) in Scorpius is at upper right, the Swan Nebula (M17) and Eagle Nebula (M16) are at lower left. To the right of them is the Small Sagittarius Starcloud (M24). At the very top is the Snake Nebula (B72). The main mass of dark nebula is the Pipe Nebula (B78). Above M24 at left is the open cluster M23 while below the M24 star cloud is the cluster M25. The globular M22 is at the bottom edge. At right of frame are the open clusters M6 (in the dark area of the Milky Way) and M7 (in the bright starcloud).

This is the Belt of Orion with its three blue stars across the top of the frame (L to R: Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka), with the iconic Horsehead Nebula (aka B33) below Alnitak, with the dark Horsehead set against the bright nebula IC 434, aka Orion's Dagger. The pinkish nebula above Alnitak is NGC 2024, the Flame Nebula. The small blue reflection nebula left of the Horsehead is NGC 2023, with smaller IC 435 to the left of it. The field is filled with the large open cluster Collinder 70. The multiple star at bottom left of centre is Sigma Orionis. Many other smaller bits of reflection nebulas populate the field in and around the Belt.

A mosaic of the region around the Small Sagittarius Starcloud and Dark Horse dark nebula complex. The field takes in the Milky Way from the Lagoon Nebula at bottom to the Eagle Nebula at top left. In between from top to bottom are the Swan Nebula (M17), and the Small Sagittarius Starcloud (M24). Flanking the bright M24 starcloud are the large open clusters M23 (right) and M25 (left). At bottom left is the M22 globular star cluster. The prominent dark nebula at right is the large Pipe Nebula (B78) with the small Snake Nebula (B72) above it. The whole complex is visible to the naked eye as the Dark Horse.

This is the nebula rich region in the constellation of Monoceros the Unicorn with the dark Cone Nebula (left of centre) and the small V-shaped and bright Hubble's Variable Nebula at bottom, a reflection nebula that varies in form and brightness. Above the Cone Nebula is the triangular Christmas Tree Cluster, NGC 2264, here upside down as the bright blue star 15 Mon is the base of the tree. The large region of nebulosity is Sharpless 2-273. The V-shaped dark nebula above centre is LDN 1603.

One of the 27 antennas of the Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope complex in New Mexico (with others in the distance at lower right) illuminated by moonlight, on December 13, 2013, peak night for the Geminid meteor shower. A single exposure of 30 seconds with the Rokinon 14mm lens at f/2.8 and Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800. Orion is rising a lower centre. The Moon is the bright object at upper right. The Pleiades and Hyades are above centre.

The large star-forming region of IC 1396 in Cepheus, taken September 5, 2018 from home in southern Alberta. The wide field includes the bright orange star Mu Cephei, or Herschel's Garnet Star, at top. The Elephant Trunk Nebula is at centre. North is at top.

The Horsehead Nebula, B33, below the Belt of Orion and the star Alnitak, along with the bright Flame Nebula, NGC 2024, to the left of Alnitak. Many other bright reflection nebulas populate the field, such as NGC 2023 just left of the Horsehead itself. The quintuple star system Sigma Orionis is right of the Horsehead. The dark Horsehead is set against the bright streak of the emission nebula IC 434.

The summer Milky Way with the Summer Triangle stars through pine trees, shot from the Howse Pass Viewpoint at Saskatchewan River Crossing, Banff National Park, Alberta. Jupiter is the bright object at the bottom.

The Celestron GPS8 scope looking at M22 in the Milky Way in the light of the rising waxing gibbous Moon, from the backyard July 21, 2019. Jupiter is bright at right, Saturn at left.

Comet Hartley 2 near the Pacman Nebula, NGC 281, in Cassiopeia. Stack of 4 x 6 minute exposures at ISO 1600 with Canon 5D MkII on A&M 105mm apo refractor at f/4.8 with Borg reducer/flattener. Bright star is Alpha Cas, Schedar. Autoguided with Celestron NexGuide autoguider. However, image of comet core is from only one exposure to minimize trailing from this fast-moving comet.

A mosaic of the Sword and Belt region of Orion the Hunter, showing the diverse array of colourful nebulas in the area, including: curving Barnard's Loop, the Horsehead Nebula below the left star of the Belt, Alnitak, and the Orion Nebula itself as the bright region in the Sword.

A mosaic of the region in Cassiopeia and Cepheus containing the main nebulas: the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) at lower left, and the Cave Nebula (Sh 2-155) at upper right. At left is also the bright Messier open cluster M52. The small yellowish cluster at right is NGC 7419. The small cluster at lower centre is NGC 7510. The small nebula just left of centre is NGC 7538.

The Belt of Orion with the Horsehead Nebula at botton, the dark nebula set in the bright emission nebula IC 434. The nebula at left of the Zeta Orionis (aka Alnitak) is the Flame Nebula, NGC 2024. The reflection nebula at upper left is the M78 complex with NGC 2071. The other Belt stars are Alnilan (centre) and Mintaka (upper right). The field contains a wealth of other blue reflection and red emission nebulas.

Cygnus or the Northern Cross is setting amid the pine trees at Athabasca Falls in Jasper National Park, on a late October night. Cepheus is above and the bright star Vega is low and just above the trees. Deneb is at centre, as is the dark nebula Lynds 3, the Funnel Cloud Nebula. Light cloud adds the natural star glows but also discolours the sky near the horizon.

This is the central area of Cygnus and its bright Milky Way starcloud surrounded by red nebulosity. At left is the star Sadr (gamma Cygni) with the complex of nebulosity catalogued as IC 1318. At centre is the distinct Crescent Nebula, NGC 6888, a expanding nebula created by winds from a hot Wolf-Rayet star. At bottom left is the star cluster Messier 29, though looking a little lost in the rich starfields here. At top is the cluster IC 1311, looking more obvious than M29 but not observed visually and included in the NGC catalog. Odd. At far right are the large and loose star clusters NGC 6883 and NGC 6871, the latter an obvious binocular sight. To the left of Sadr is the small cluster NGC 6910. The dark nebulas B145 and LDN 862 are at right. The small emission nebula at bottom is Sharpless 2-104.

The summer Milky Way overhead and through the Summer Triangle stars in July, looking up through trees in Banff National Park at Herbert Lake. Deneb is at top left, Vega at top right, and Altair is at bottom. The bright Cygnus star cloud is obvious. As are the dark lanes in the Milky Way, including the Funnel Nebula at top, aka Le Gentil 3.

A horizon-to-zenith panorama of the winter consellations on a March evening as they set into the southwest. Orion is at bottom centre, with his Belt pointing down to Canis Major and up to Taurus. Gemini and Auriga are at top, in this case near the zenith overhead. The bright star clusters, M44, the Beehive, (at left) and M45, the Pleiades, (at right) flank the Milky Way. M45 is embedded in the Zodiacal Light. The star clusters M35 in Gemini and M41 in Canis Major are also visible as diffuse spots, as are several other star clusters. A couple of satellite trails are visible.

The rising autumn stars and constellations over and reflected in the lake at Police Outpost Provincial Park, in southern Alberta, on September 26, 2016. The stars of Auriga and Taurus are rising, including the Pleiades at upper right. Capella is the bright star above right centre; Aldebaran is below right in the sky. Both are reflected in the still water, along with the Hyades and Pleiades star clusters. A mild aurora is at left.

The asterism of the False Cross in Vela and Carina, at left, with Gamma Velorum, a bright blue supergiant star, at right. In between are faint arcs of nebulosity in the Gum Nebula. To the left of Gamma Velorum is the open star clister NGC 2547. Below the bottom star of the False Cross, Epsilon Carinae or Avior, is the large naked-eye star cluster NGC 2516. To the right of the right star of the False Cross, Delta Velorum, is the loose open cluster IC 2391.

The North America Nebula (NGC 7000) and associated nebulosity and star clusters, near the bright blue-white star Deneb in Cygnus.

The Colorful Cosmos

Sunrise over the planet mars orbiting in space with strong flare and shadows coming from a bright sun panoramic

Sunrise over the planet mars orbiting in space with strong flare and shadows coming from a bright sun panoramic

Sun shining onto the moons surface showing crater detail panoramic

Sunrise over the planet Earth concept with a bright sun and flare and city lights panoramic. Some elements sourced from NASA public Domain.

Setting sun panoramic behind the moon in space

Concept of large blue planet with two satellite moons orbiting and a distant blue star panoramic. Some elements sourced from NASA public Domain.

Sun, Earth and moon from space panoramic concept. Some elements sourced from NASA public Domain.

Sun shining onto the moons surface showing crater detail

Panoramic concept of planet and moons with a blue sun. Some elements sourced from NASA public Domain.

Hokkaido, Japan

Girl with a lantern at a St. Martin's parade, lantern procession, St. Martin's Day, Pfaffenwinkel, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Girl with a lantern at a St. Martin's parade, lantern procession, St. Martin's Day, Pfaffenwinkel, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Christmas Cookies Christmas Cookies Pastry Cinnamon Cinnamon Star Banner Decoration Snow, Germany, Europe

Two tents, tipis, Indian tents, front one illuminated from the inside, in a winter landscape, aurora borealis with stars in the sky, Yukon Territory, Canada, North America

Milky way in the beautiful illuminated hermitage of Agina, Navarra

Milky way in the beautiful illuminated hermitage of Agina, Navarra

Orange i can gen cloud background sky

Northern lights (Aurora borealis), sea, mountains, stars, Hamnoy, Nordland, Lofoten, Norway, winter Scandinavian landscape, Europe

Northern lights (Aurora borealis) in winter Scandinavian landscape, sea, mountains, stars, Uttakleiv strand, Leknes, Nordland, Lofoten, Norway, Europe

Illuminated stars, Christmas Market, Nuremberg, Franconia, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Northern lights (Aurora borealis), sea, mountains, stars, Flakstad, Nordland, Lofoten, Norway, winter Scandinavian landscape, Europe

Northern lights (Aurora borealis) in winter Scandinavian landscape, sea, mountains, stars, Uttakleiv strand, Leknes, Nordland, Lofoten, Norway, Europe

Northern lights (Aurora borealis), sea, mountains, stars, Flakstad, Nordland, Lofoten, Norway, winter Scandinavian landscape, Europe

View on the Nanjing Lu at night, Shanghai, China, Asia

View on the Nanjing Lu at night, Shanghai, China, Asia

View on the Nanjing Lu at night, Shanghai, China, Asia

Star made of tea lights for the Festival of Lights, Black Forest, Bad Wildbad, Germany, Europe

Christmas light decorations at night in Prien, Chiemsee, Chiemgau, Upper Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Famous Las Vegas sign on bright sunny day, Nevada.

Milky Way galaxy and stars in sky above man shining flashlight at sky at dusk

Bright Green Aurora Borealis Dances Over Upper Trail Lake, The Kenai Mountains In The Background, Moose Pass, Kenai Peninsula, South-Central Alaska, Alaska, United States Of America

Aurora Borealis Over Mountains Within Denali National Park On A Very Cold Winter Night. The Andromeda Galaxy Is Visible To The Left, Alaska, United States Of America

The Moon And Aurora Shine In The Night Sky Over A Snow Covered Richardson Highway South Of Delta Junction, Alaska, United States Of America

Man Standing Under A Bright Display Of The Northern Lights, Iceland

Moon And Stars In The Night Sky With Palm Trees Along The Coast In The Foreground, Maui, Hawaii, United States Of America

An observer watching the aurora borealis points his flashlight into the sky beside a campfire on Jarvis Creek in Delta Junction; Alaska, United States of America

Close-up detail of a crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci); Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

Corona aurora spreading in the sky, Taylor Highway, Interior Alaska in autumn; Alaska, United States of America

Northern Lights over Juneau Icefield, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, United States of America

Intense antler-shaped aurora waving over Mount Fairplay, Taylor Highway, Interior Alaska in autumn; Alaska, United States of America

Mauna Loa Volcano lava flow on the Big Island of Hawaii, USA, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii, United States of America

Northern Lights over Juneau Icefield, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, United States of America

Bright green aurora dancing like fire over Birch Lake with reflections, Interior Alaska in autumn; Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America

The flag of China, also known as the Five-star Red Flag, in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China