Earth + Space: Photos From The Archives of NASA

Take a tour of the universe with this breathtaking collection of photographs from the archives of NASA. Astonishing images of Earth from above, the phenomena of our solar system, and the celestial bodies of deep space will captivate readers and photography lovers with an interest in science, astronomy, and the great beyond. Each extraordinary photograph from the legendary space agency is paired with explanatory text that contextualizes its place in the cosmic ballet of planets, stars, dust, and matter—from Earth’s limb to solar flares, the Jellyfish Nebula to Pandora’s Cluster. Featuring a preface by Bill Nye, this engaging volume offers up-close views of our remarkable cosmos, and sparks wonder at the marvels of Earth and space.

Photographs are one of the primary ways we learn to process ideas and phenomena inexplicable and vast. When we find ourselves bumping up against the ceiling of our imagination, photos of space help us recapture a sense of wonder, possibility, and curiosity about the nature of the cosmos.

So few of us are actually familiar with the exotic locales (not to mention, the uncanny perspectives of stuff we thought we were already familiar with, such as the moon or clouds) described by the Hubble, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Herschel, and other space labs. While most of us have been inundated with images of the Milky Way or even the Earth from afar (which, frankly, never cease to be amazing), few of us have ever seen tsunami debris off the coast of Japan from outer space or checked out images of dwarf irregular galaxies and star formation cradles. EARTH + SPACE shows us firsthand how complex, creative, and diverse our cosmic stomping grounds are, but first and foremost, these photos are beautiful to behold. In a way that’s very primal, photos of space connect us to our capacity for wonder.

Get your copy of Earth and Space: Photographs from the Archives of NASA