Random NASA space image

How to use the random NASA space image tool

1. 1 Set the How many slider to draw up to eight images.
2. 2 Set From date and To date to limit the range, or leave them blank.
3. 3 Click Generate to see each image with its explanation and date.
4. 4 Click an image's title to open its page on NASA's site.

Where the images come from

The main source is NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD), which has posted an image or video almost every day since 16 June 1995, each with a short explanation written by a professional astronomer. A draw can land on any day in that archive, from Hubble deep fields to an amateur's photo of a comet.

When APOD isn't available, the tool switches to the NASA Image and Video Library and searches one of ten subjects, such as galaxy, nebula, Mars, or aurora. Those results carry NASA's own captions instead of APOD explanations, and the date filters only narrow them by year.

Videos and missing images

Some APOD days feature a video or an interactive page instead of a still picture. Those results show a Watch video link, plus a thumbnail when NASA provides one.

Credits and reuse

Images made by NASA are generally not under copyright in the US, but many APOD entries come from other observatories or private photographers who keep their rights. The credit next to the date tells you who made the image. Check it before you use a picture anywhere public.

Frequently asked questions