About Space Art

When the crew of Apollo 8 turned a camera toward Earth in 1968, many people were surprised to discover our world was such a pretty planet, but scenes such as the famous "earthrise" had been rendered decades before by artists whose imaginations were informed by science. Astronomical illustrators play a role similar to that of  medical illustrators, in that they attempt to portray realistically aspects of nature beyond ordinary experience. The astronomical artist can take us to the dawn of creation to witness the cataclysmic collision that formed the Moon, or transport us billions of years into the future to watch the sun swell into a red giant star.

Part of the fun in this field is trying to stay one jump ahead of the scientists. I've often guessed wrong (Mars' sky is brown, not blue, for instance) and have been lucky once or twice (depicting Titan's surface quite accurately in 1973), but nature, when finally revealed, always surprises. As you explore the images on this site please bear in mind that they represent informed guesswork. The reality will not only be stranger, but much more beautiful.

	Learn more about space art from the International Association of Astronomical Artists  Watch a panel discussion featuring five space artists