NASA releases patriotic space images to mark US 250th
To mark the US turning 250, NASA just released some seriously cool space images in patriotic colors.
Unveiled on July 1, 2026, these shots were pieced together from data by the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, and James Webb Space Telescope.
The lineup? A galaxy cluster, a spiral galaxy with a twist, a wild Milky Way nebula, and a supernova remnant, all showing off the universe in style.
Lineup spans cluster, spiral, nebula, remnant
First up is ZwCl 0024+1652, a galaxy cluster four billion light-years away, showing off hot gas and hints of dark matter.
Messier 94 is next: it's got loads of new stars but barely any dark matter (which has scientists scratching their heads).
Then there's NGC 3603 in our own Milky Way, a nebula packed with massive stars burning bright before going supernova.
And finally: Cassiopeia A, a colorful supernova remnant glowing in red, white, and blue: NASA's way of saying happy birthday to America from across the cosmos.