Planet Parade, Lunar Sunrise & Running Chicken Nebula — See This Week’s Best Space Photos

The first week of March brings a spectacular lineup of astrophotography. From a historic seven-planet parade, a gorgeous first lunar sunrise from the Blue Ghost to a fresh shot from a NASA astronaut, these images open a new page in the Best Space Photos collections!

Webb’s Stunning View Of A Star-Forming Spiral

This week’s best space photos collection opens with a breathtaking view of NGC 2283, a barred spiral galaxy located 45 million light-years away in Canis Major’s constellation.

This image, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, became ESA’s photo of the month. It reveals the galaxy’s loosely wound spiral arms and central bar in exquisite detail. Webb observed NGC 2283 for 17 minutes, combining data from six infrared filters. The result is a gorgeous display of glowing star-forming regions and cosmic dust.

February’s Best: A Planetary Parade Like No Other

This week’s astrophotography collection wouldn’t be complete without the highlight of February — the rare planetary parade. Captured by British astrophotographer Josh Dury, this breathtaking composite image shows seven planets (Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Venus, Neptune, and Mercury) aligned across the evening sky on 22nd February.

This celestial event was last seen in 1982. Josh Dury’s image, possibly the first of its kind, offers a rare perspective on our cosmic neighbours, showcasing the beauty of our solar system in a single frame.

Planetary Trio

Jamie Reynolds (@jaythegrumpy) captured a stunning Moon with Earthshine, accompanied by Venus and Mercury in a stunning nightscape.

‘Tonight’s moon with earthshine, Venus, and Mercury in the last one through the trees,’ he commented on X.

Manda Bendre (@mabend2) encouraged fellow stargazers to share their stunning Moon and Venus photos on X. In her beautiful astrophoto, two of the brightest objects in the night sky created a breathtaking celestial display framed by a cityscape.

Blue Ghost’s First Sunrise On The Moon

By this fantastic historic shot, Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander has greeted its first sunrise on the Moon. This marked the official start of surface operations as it supports 10 NASA payloads designed for scientific and technological research.

The Running Chicken Nebula

Astrophotographer Rod Prazeres’ stunning capture of IC 2944, the Running Chicken Nebula, highlights an active stellar nursery. This beautiful photo also includes the mysterious Thackeray’s Globules, where stars begin their life cycle.

Thai Aurora: A Fisherman’s Glow From Space

A new week – a new image from NASA astronaut Don Pettit! He captured a breathtaking view of Thailand’s fishing fleets from orbit. Their green lights resembled an aurora shimmering across the ocean. These bright lights, used to attract squid, create an otherworldly glow visible even from space!