Photography: Visions of the Universe proves just how awe-inspiringly beautiful outer space is

Date
7 June 2013

There’s nothing like a photograph of outer space to remind you not to sweat the small stuff, and these ones from the Visions of the Universe exhibition, opening at the National Maritime Museum today, are particularly spectacular. Your flatmate used the last of your milk? Check out this photographic evidence of ancient water on Mars. You lost your travel-card? Here’s a picture of the butterfly nebula to soothe the pain.

Mindblowingly beautiful, the images on display illustrate our fascination with space, while simultaneously extolling the technological advances which have allowed our exploration of it. Taking many sights which would be impossible for the human eye to see alone, this exhibition uses space photography for the best possible purpose – to remind us just how enormously, unbelievably cool the universe is.

Visions of the Universe is at the National Maritime Museum from June 7 until September 15.

Above

Andromeda Galaxy © Aggelos Kechagias, 2010

Above

Astronauts repairing the Hubble Space Telescope © NASA

Above

The sharpest view of the Orion Nebula © NASA/ESA/M. Robberto (Space Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team

Above

Bright-layered rock deposits with evidence of ancient water © Malin Space Science Systems/MGS/JPL/NASA

Above

Earthrise © NASA/Johnson Space Center Venus © NASA

Above

Sky away from the Lights © Tunç Tezel, 2010

Above

Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin on the Moon © NASA/photograph by Neil Armstrong

Above

Star Trails, Blue Mountains © Ted Dobosz, 2009

Above

Venus © NASA

Above

The Sombrero Galaxy (M104) © NASA and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

Above

The Butterfly Nebula (NGC 6302) © NASA/ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team

Share Article

Further Info

About the Author

Maisie Skidmore

Maisie joined It’s Nice That fresh out of university in the summer of 2013 as an intern before joining full time as an Assistant Editor. Maisie left It’s Nice That in July 2015.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.