space art

Dwarf II Smart Telescope Brings Power and Portability to Backyard Astronomy

The diminutive entry-level telescope captures remarkably clear views of space, but its usability may pose a challenge.

Orbital Sculpture Stays Flaccid Due to Government Shutdown

An inflatable space sculpture launched to orbit in December remains unfurled, in one of the more unanticipated consequences of the ongoing government shutdown in the United States. Designed by U.S. artist Trevor Paglen, the Orbital Reflector was launched to low Earth orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on December 3, 2018, along with dozens…

Hey Artists, Stop Putting Shiny Crap Into Space

As if there isn’t already enough junk in space, an artist is planning to launch a reflective, inflatable sculpture to low Earth orbit in October. The art piece is meant to instill a sense of wonder and alter humanity’s impression of itself, but in reality it’s an empty gesture that’ll only serve to infuriate astronomers.…

NASA’s Mars Recruitment Posters Will Convince You to Go Die in Space

Okay, poster. You make a compelling argument—sign us up! True, there will be obstacles: For one, the Martian corps that these recruitment posters from Kennedy Space Center are attempting to enlist us in does not exist. Also, as of yet, no human has ever stepped foot on the surface of the red planet, much less…

We’re Entering a Golden Age of Space Tourism Propaganda [Updated]

Whether they’re selling tickets to orbit or making sure the science funding keeps flowing, rocket companies and space agencies alike have a vested interest in getting the public jazzed about the cosmic beyond. So it’s no surprise that we’re now entering a golden age of space tourism propaganda—one that’s bringing back the beloved, classic design…

Space is Vast and Deadly in a New Poster for Syfy’s The Expanse

We were just luxuriating in the fact that space exploration is big at the movies again. And now here’s a reminder that we’re finally getting some more big space action on television as well: We’re less than two months away from Syfy’s The Expanse. If you’re already a fan of the book series by James…

Stunning Pluto Art Makes Me Want to Hike the Norgay Montes

Over the past few weeks, we’ve watched Pluto transform from a fuzzy gray ball into a reddish-pink world with ice plains, mountains ranges, and hints of geologic activity. But science isn’t the only great thing about the recent Pluto discoveries: The new artwork is pretty stellar, too. What would it be like to stand on…

The War Correspondent Who Shaped What We Think Space Looks Like 

io9’s comment of the day today comes from our own Ron Miller, space artist, who took to the comments of this post about the books we’ve owned the longest to share the story behind these 1950s-era space books. https://gizmodo.com/which-book-have-you-owned-the-longest-1713031484 Probably By Spaceship to the Moon and its companion book, Rockets, Jets, Guided Missiles and Spaceships.…

Haunting Photos Of The Inner Workings Of Space Tools

Usually, the focus of space photography is on letting us see close-up views of far away things we could never see otherwise. But what happens when the focus of the camera is turned onto the tools of the trade themselves? That’s the premise of Chris O’Leary’s Cloud Chambers project, which he shared with us in…

Space-Themed Soviet Postcards Are a Cosmic Delight 

The Soviet Union had some problems, but one thing they got right was space art. That’s why there’s nothing better than this gallery of adorable and awe-inspiring postcards from the USSR, looking at our future life in outer space. Times Are Changing, designed by Ivan Semyonov, 1958 (via Soviet Postcards) Glory to Soviet science!, 1959…

An Astounding History of Scientific Space Art from the Past 200 Years

Ron Miller’s new coffee table book The Art of Space is a gorgeous history of scientific illustrations, full of retro rockets and stunning planetscapes. It’s also a glimpse back at the cutting-edge astronomy of yesteryear. We’ve got a gallery of some of the most striking work from the book. Top image by Chesley Bonestell The…

Breathtaking Illustrations Show The Splendor Of Ringed Planets

Is there any more beautiful than a ringed planet? It’s like an instant signifier of an exotic, non-Earth world. And the sight of a ring floating around an entire world is one of the most poetic and astonishing vistas the universe has to offer. And luckily, some immensely talented artists have created illustrations showing the…

These official exoplanet artworks are the next best thing to visiting

Chances are, none of us will live long enough to travel to a planet in another star system. But at least, we can gaze upon dozens of exoplanets right now — thanks to official artworks created by NASA and some of the world’s greatest high-tech observatories. Check out our favorite official exoplanet art below. We…

Digital artist Tahar Abroudjameur created this haunting image of a skull-like nebula by re-imagining a Hubble photo of two colliding spiral galaxies. Called “The Universe Is In Us,” it’s one of many contributions to the NASA remix project.

The Most Mind-Blowingly Beautiful Artists’ Conceptions of Exoplanets

When we discover a brand new exoplanet, we can only imagine what it might look like. But luckily for us, our imagination has some pretty brilliant visual aids. Artists (including our own Ron Miller) have created some droolworthy images of planets outside our solar system. Here are the most gorgeous of them all. HD 189733b,…

The Secret of Creating Mindblowing Concept Art of Alien Worlds

Chances are, you’ve already marveled at Emmanuel Shiu‘s stunning concept art before. We’ve featured his stunning movie and game art before — he’s worked on everything from Star Trek to Lost Planet 3. Above is a brand new piece of concept art, which he’s premiering at io9. And below is Shiu’s explanation of how to…

NASA Loaned Norman Rockwell a Spacesuit for This Picture

NASA’s always had a knack for making the wonders of science look like incredible art; gazing at their various high-def visions of the universe is awe-inspiring to the highest degree. In addition to its incredible command of the cosmos, the agency has also spent the past fifty years commissioning terrestrial creative talents to find inspiration…

The Great Soviet Space Exhibition of 1927

In 1927, the Soviet Association of Inventors decided to hold an exhibition dedicated to the possibility of space flight. In spite of some financial and bureaucratic difficulties — the government claimed that the subject of spaceflight was “still premature and problematical” and would only serve to “stir up the masses” — an extensive display of…

NASA picks the awesomest DIY space art from Etsy

The results of the “space craft” contest sponsored by NASA and Etsy are in, and the finalists include some of the coolest home-made space art we’ve ever seen. Here are some of our favorites. According to a NASA press release: Contestants entered an original handmade item or work of art inspired by NASA programs, such…

Friday Space-Cat Blogging: The cutest extraterrestrial art in a dozen galaxies

Do six eyes make cats better at playing with nano-fiber yarn? That’s just one of the important questions raised by a new exhibition of space-themed artworks that opened last night. Prepare for cuteness! The above dose of feline awesomeness is Spacium Felium Domestica by artist Alan Defibaugh, and it’s just one of the exhibits in…